Some people today assume that voicemail and fax are on their way out of the telephone paradigm, especially since mobile technology and the Internet has changed the rules of phone communication. Phone service has changed over the last decade or so, thanks to the rise of other modes of contact like email, instant messaging, text messaging and the like. Logically speaking, this means that we are starting to lose the need for fax and voicemail. And the only question that remains is which one will go first.
The problem with this logic is that it’s making assumptions that are absolutely unfair. First among the logical flaws is the belief that new modes of communication can completely replace old modes of communication. A prime example of this is faxing: most people think that simply sending an email with a document attached to it is enough to wipe out fax. The thing is, email isn’t as secure as a fax line and most fax documents contain sensitive information. Thankfully, you can now send an Internet fax, which makes faxing as easy as emailing.
Voicemail gets a similar bad rap because some people think that it’s not as convenient as sending a text message or an instant message. But the existence of virtual voice mail completely disputes that assumption by making it possible to retrieve messages via several convenient avenues – including email. And for those who find listening to voicemail an inconvenience, there are many voicemail transcription services available to address this. The inconvenience of voicemail is no longer an excuse.
The question of which phone feature will go first is moot, because it comes with the assumption that neither will evolve to suit the needs of the new world. So far, they have done a fine job of adapting, and there is no reason to think that either will be out of the phone paradigm anytime soon.
