Analogue phone line vs digital LAN connection for franking machines

A modern franking machine no longer needs an analogue phone line. Today’s machines connect via a LAN (or Wi-Fi) connection, which is faster, more reliable and cheaper for receiving Royal Mail price and credit updates. Because analogue phone-line franking is being phased out, a digital, LAN-connected Mailmark machine is the future-proof choice.

In the past, franking machines required a phone line as standard – it was the only way to receive price and credit updates, and it was slower, less reliable and more costly. Let’s compare analogue and digital franking machines.

Speed

Analogue franking machines use a phone line to receive price and credit updates at around 50-56 kilobytes per second, so updates can take a while. Digital franking machines connect to the internet directly via LAN or Wi-Fi, so the speed matches your broadband – typically anywhere between 15 and 300 megabytes per second – and updates are much quicker.

Connectivity

With an analogue phone line, you would often only know something was wrong when the franking machine stopped working – and sometimes not even what the issue was. A digital franking machine is connected directly to the internet via a LAN connection, which makes performance easier to track and monitor, so issues can be flagged before they become business-critical.

Future proof

Analogue franking machines are quickly becoming obsolete. They have been around a long time and are now outdated, so buying one in this digital age is risky: there is no guarantee it will still be usable in future as parts become scarce and suppliers stop servicing the technology. Digital franking machines avoid these issues because they connect to the internet directly.

Functionality

In their prime, analogue phone lines changed how mail was processed. But with Mailmark now the industry standard, there is little room left for analogue machines. Analogue devices lack automatic updates, the ability to reclaim VAT on postage (Smart Meter technology) and the ability to print pre-paid reply envelopes. A digital franking machine can do all of this and more.

If you are moving into franking, or upgrading an outdated analogue machine, go digital. You will benefit from all of the Mailmark benefits and join the digital age of franking.

Mailcoms is a Royal Mail Authorised Independent Inspector & Maintainer of postal franking machines, and we can provide a Mailmark franking machine to suit your needs – to buy or to rent, or simply for advice. To get a franking machine or upgrade to Mailmark with even lower prices available, view our franking machine page here or call us on 01543 572 776.

FAQs

Do franking machines still need a phone line? No – modern machines connect via LAN or Wi-Fi. Analogue phone-line connection is being phased out.

Is a LAN connection faster than a phone line? Yes – LAN or Wi-Fi runs at your broadband speed (typically 15-300 Mbps), compared with around 50-56 Kbps over a phone line.

Why switch from analogue to digital franking? Digital machines get faster automatic updates, let you reclaim VAT through Smart Meter technology, and support Mailmark for the best Royal Mail rates.