How to have a phone, answering machine and fax on the same line

So, you have a phone, an answering machine and a fax. You have two lines so that the answering machine doesn't pickup the fax and vice versa. This means that you are likely spending at least $40 per month on phone service.

You haven't switched to broadband because it would cost that much more.

There is an affordable solution. It's called distinctive ring.

Provided your phone company offers the service, it is the solution for many  home businesses and others who need the ability to receive faxes without warning.

Distinctive ring is a $5 service that can be added to your existing phone line. The phone company will give you a new telephone number, or reassign your current fax number. Whenever someone calls that number, the phone will ring differently than it does when they dial your home line.

Most fax machines built in the past five years allow you to set it to only answer the distinctive ring pattern (typically two short rings).

Set the answering machine to answer after 4 rings and the fax to answer after 2 rings but it will only answer if the ring is in the proper pattern.

Once the distinctive ring is all setup, you can cancel your fax line and get broadband. 

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