Why your fax failed, and what to do next

The line was busy

Also shown as: busy, line busy, user busy.

What it means: The fax number was already on another call when we dialed.

Why it happens: A fax line handles one call at a time. Busy offices, such as benefits agencies close to a deadline, can stay busy for long stretches.

What to do: Try again in a little while. Early morning and late afternoon are usually quieter. If the number stays busy for hours, ask the office if they have a second fax number.

What ProntoFax does: We redial up to three more times over about 20 minutes before giving up.

ProntoFax error code: 101

Nobody answered

Also shown as: no answer, no response.

What it means: The fax number rang, but nothing picked up.

Why it happens: The machine may be turned off, unplugged, or out of paper or memory. Some offices switch their fax machine off after hours. It can also mean the number is wrong and is ringing somewhere with no fax machine.

What to do: Try again later, or during business hours if it is an office. If it keeps failing, call the office and ask if the fax machine is on and if you have the right number.

What ProntoFax does: We redial up to three more times over about 20 minutes.

ProntoFax error codes: 110, 111

Something answered, but it was not a fax machine

Also shown as: no fax tone, no fax detected, communication timeout.

What it means: The call connected, but the other end never sent the tones a fax machine sends.

Why it happens: Usually the number is a phone line, and a person or voicemail picked up. Many offices print a phone number and a fax number side by side, and it is easy to copy the wrong one. Some offices share one line for phone and fax, and a person got to it first.

What to do: Confirm this is the fax number and not the phone number. Check the letter or form, or call and ask.

What ProntoFax does: We try at most one more time and then stop, so we do not keep calling what may be someone's phone.

ProntoFax error codes: 201, 202

The call dropped partway through

Also shown as: call dropped, disconnected, incomplete.

What it means: A fax machine answered and started receiving, then the call ended before your pages finished.

Why it happens: A noisy line, a receiving machine that ran out of paper or memory, or a fax line that runs over internet phone service, which is less stable for fax. Longer documents are more exposed to this.

What to do: Try again. If it keeps happening, send fewer pages per fax, or ask the office if their fax line is working.

What ProntoFax does: We redial up to three more times. You are only charged if the fax is delivered.

ProntoFax error code: 120

The machines could not complete the transmission

Also shown as: communication error, negotiation failed, protocol error, poor line condition. Some fax machines print NG, short for no good, on the report.

What it means: A fax machine answered, but the two machines could not agree on how to send the pages, or lost track of each other partway through.

Why it happens: Before any page is sent, fax machines exchange signals to agree on speed and format. A noisy line, internet phone service, or an older machine can break that exchange.

What to do: Try again. If it fails again, ask the recipient if their machine is having trouble, or if they have another fax number.

What ProntoFax does: We redial up to three more times over about 20 minutes.

ProntoFax error codes: 130, 131, 132, 133

The call could not get through

Also shown as: unreachable, network error, timeout.

What it means: The phone network could not connect the call to that number.

Why it happens: Usually a temporary problem at the receiving phone company or somewhere in between. Less often, the number is no longer connected to anything.

What to do: Try again later. If it keeps failing, confirm the number.

What ProntoFax does: We redial up to three more times over about 20 minutes.

ProntoFax error codes: 140, 141, 142

The number is not in service

Also shown as: not in service, invalid number, unallocated number.

What it means: The phone network reports that the number is not assigned to anyone, or is not a valid number.

Why it happens: The number was disconnected, the office changed it, or one digit is wrong.

What to do: Check the number on your letter or form, or ask the office to confirm it. Fax numbers for government offices do change. You can also look the office up in our fax number directory.

What ProntoFax does: We stop after the first attempt, because trying again cannot help.

ProntoFax error codes: 210, 211, 212

The number rejected the call

Also shown as: rejected, declined, call refused.

What it means: The receiving end refused the call.

Why it happens: Some fax lines block callers they do not recognize, or are set to refuse calls at certain times.

What to do: Confirm the number, or ask the office if their fax line is accepting faxes.

What ProntoFax does: We try one more time and then stop.

ProntoFax error code: 220

The document could not be turned into a fax

Also shown as: file error, conversion failed, invalid file.

What it means: The service could not convert your file into the format fax machines accept.

Why it happens: With most services, the file is password protected, damaged, or an unusual page size. It can also be a fault in the service itself.

What to do: Save it as a new PDF, or send photos of the pages.

What ProntoFax does: We treat this as a problem on our side. We are alerted when it happens, and we email you a code for a free fax once it is fixed.

ProntoFax error codes: 301, 302, 303, 304, 310

The document is over the page limit

What it means: ProntoFax sends up to 25 pages in one fax, including the cover page if you add one.

What to do: Split it into separate faxes of 25 pages or fewer and send them one at a time.

The phone carrier could not place the call

What it means: The carrier we use to place calls had a problem, and the call was not placed.

What to do: Try again in a few minutes. If it fails again, confirm the number.

What ProntoFax does: We redial up to three more times over about 20 minutes.

ProntoFax error codes: 900, 901

Your email shows no error code

If your email says the problem was on our side and shows no code, something in our own system stopped the fax. There is nothing you need to fix. We are alerted right away, and we email you a code for a free fax once it is fixed.

How to tell if a fax went through

A fax is confirmed by the receiving machine. After each page, the receiving machine signals that the page arrived. When the last page is confirmed, the sender gets a success result. If you never got a confirmation, treat the fax as not delivered.

On a fax machine, the proof is the transmission report: a printed page with the date, the number dialed, the page count and a result of OK.

With ProntoFax, the screen shows the fax as delivered and we email you a receipt with the date and time it was delivered, the page count, the last four digits of the number, the amount charged, and a link to view the document you sent. The link works for 30 days, so save a copy if you need one.

A confirmation proves the pages reached a fax machine at that number. It does not prove the number was the right office, or that a person has read it. If a deadline depends on it, keep the receipt and call the office to confirm they have it.

Error code reference