{"id":23557,"date":"2026-01-12T12:45:20","date_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:45:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/?p=23557"},"modified":"2026-01-12T12:45:51","modified_gmt":"2026-01-12T11:45:51","slug":"fax-abschaltung","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/2026\/01\/12\/fax-abschaltung\/","title":{"rendered":"Goodbye FAX: Secure Communication at RWTH"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_23557 social_share_privacy clearfix 1.6.4 locale-en_US sprite-en_US\"><\/div><div class=\"twoclick-js\"><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\njQuery(document).ready(function($){if($('.twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_23557')){$('.twoclick_social_bookmarks_post_23557').socialSharePrivacy({\"txt_help\":\"Wenn Sie diese Felder durch einen Klick aktivieren, werden Informationen an Facebook, Twitter, Flattr, Xing, t3n, LinkedIn, Pinterest oder Google eventuell ins Ausland \\u00fcbertragen und unter Umst\\u00e4nden auch dort gespeichert. N\\u00e4heres erfahren Sie durch einen Klick auf das <em>i<\\\/em>.\",\"settings_perma\":\"Dauerhaft aktivieren und Daten\\u00fcber-tragung zustimmen:\",\"info_link\":\"http:\\\/\\\/www.heise.de\\\/ct\\\/artikel\\\/2-Klicks-fuer-mehr-Datenschutz-1333879.html\",\"uri\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\\\/itc\\\/en\\\/2026\\\/01\\\/12\\\/fax-abschaltung\\\/\",\"post_id\":23557,\"post_title_referrer_track\":\"Goodbye+FAX%3A+Secure+Communication+at+RWTH\",\"display_infobox\":\"on\"});}});\n\/* ]]> *\/<\/script><\/div><p><div id=\"attachment_23558\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-23558\" class=\"wp-image-23558 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/files\/2026\/01\/fax-abschaltung_20260109_BAU_Blog-300x200.jpg\" alt=\"FAX illustration \" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/files\/2026\/01\/fax-abschaltung_20260109_BAU_Blog-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/files\/2026\/01\/fax-abschaltung_20260109_BAU_Blog-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/files\/2026\/01\/fax-abschaltung_20260109_BAU_Blog-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/files\/2026\/01\/fax-abschaltung_20260109_BAU_Blog.jpg 1500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-23558\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Source: Own illustration<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n<p>Are you still using the old FAX or UMS function of the RWTH telephone system? Now is the right time to switch.<\/p>\n<p>The university-wide switch to modern VoIP technology is progressing according to plan. The goal is to completely replace the old Alcatel digital telephone system by January 31, 2026, at the latest. From that date onwards, the previous fax and UMS services will no longer be available. The switch-off is an important step in making RWTH more modern, efficient, and future-proof.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #00549f;\"><strong>Why the change is necessary<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>The old telephone system dates to the 2000s. It is technically outdated, maintenance-intensive, and no longer meets the requirements of modern digital communication. Old fax and UMS functions also pose security risks and are not flexible enough for use in times of home offices and mobile working.<\/p>\n<p>The new VoIP infrastructure, meanwhile, offers maximum flexibility, security, and efficiency. It enables RWTH to operate its telecommunications services centrally, reliably, and in a future-proof manner. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) enables telephony via the university&#8217;s digital network instead of traditional lines. Calls are transmitted as data packets, which flexibly and securely integrates telephony, video conferencing, and other communication services. This allows you to benefit from modern, location-independent communication, easy integration with other digital services, and a stable, future-proof system.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #00549f;\"><strong>Advantages of the new technology<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Switching to VoIP brings many concrete advantages for you:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Faster &amp; easier<\/strong>: Emails reach their recipients immediately \u2013 no more waiting for paper or fax errors.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Secure &amp; confidential<\/strong>: Signed and encrypted emails reliably protect sensitive information.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Flexible &amp; mobile<\/strong>: You can communicate from anywhere \u2013 at the office, at home, or on the go.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Future-proof<\/strong>: Modern technology means less risk of failure and less administrative effort.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #00549f;\"><strong>How to make a successful transition<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>To ensure a smooth transition, it is worth planning:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"list-style-type: none;\">\n<ol>\n<li>Review your current work processes: Do you still use fax? Consider which fax or UMS services you use regularly, and which tasks can be converted to modern communication channels in the future.<\/li>\n<li>Establish alternative communication channels: Signed and encrypted emails are the recommended solution.<\/li>\n<li>Test the new functions early on: This will ensure that everything works as usual.<\/li>\n<li>Check the contact details on your websites: Make sure that no fax numbers are listed anymore and that all contact information is up to date.<\/li>\n<li>Use instructions: The IT Center Help documentation portal provides further information on <a href=\"https:\/\/help.itc.rwth-aachen.de\/en\/service\/81a55cea5f2b416892901cf1736bcfc7\/article\/bcc09e4ea64e4fdd8e0fef43cbfd7bcc\/\">signed<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/help.itc.rwth-aachen.de\/en\/service\/81a55cea5f2b416892901cf1736bcfc7\/article\/abe426cdd7364643bec7e572ff4477fa\/\">encrypted<\/a> emails.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #00549f;\"><strong>FAQ \u2013 the most important questions at a glance<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><strong>What will happen to my fax address?<br \/>\n<\/strong>Old fax and UMS addresses will be deactivated on January 31, 2026. Emails are the new standard form of communication.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do I need special software for signed emails?<br \/>\n<\/strong>No \u2013 RWTH provides all the necessary <a href=\"https:\/\/help.itc.rwth-aachen.de\/en\/service\/81a55cea5f2b416892901cf1736bcfc7\/article\/bcc09e4ea64e4fdd8e0fef43cbfd7bcc\/\">tools<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How can I get support?<br \/>\n<\/strong>If you have any questions or need assistance, our <a href=\"mailto:servicedesk@itc.rwth-aachen.de\">IT-ServiceDesk<\/a> will be happy to help.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #00549f;\"><strong>Outlook<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>With the switch to VoIP, every contribution plays an important role in ensuring that RWTH maintains a modern, efficient, and secure telecommunications infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>Say goodbye to faxes and hello to modern communication \u2014 now is the best opportunity!<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p>Responsible for the content of this article are Maryam Hassani and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.itc.rwth-aachen.de\/cms\/it-center\/it-center\/profil\/team\/~epvp\/mitarbeiter-pvz-\/?gguid=PER-FDUP7HQ&amp;allou=1&amp;lidx=1\">Nicole Kaminski<\/a>.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1859,"featured_media":23558,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"c2c_always_allow_admin_comments":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[315],"tags":[1563,907,1565,1564],"class_list":["post-23557","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-services-support","tag-fax","tag-telefonanlage","tag-ums","tag-voip"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23557","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1859"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23557"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23557\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":23562,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23557\/revisions\/23562"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23558"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23557"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23557"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.rwth-aachen.de\/itc\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23557"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}