The fax is dying in Saxony: outdated technology is being abolished!

The fax is dying in Saxony: outdated technology is being abolished!

A remarkable change is underway in Saxon administration: fax machines are increasingly being phased out. A look at the current situation shows that the use of this once widespread technology is declining. How n-tv reports, a survey in ten districts and three independent cities shows that citizens continue to send inquiries by fax, but many of these faxes are now forwarded to mailboxes. Fax machines have already completely disappeared in the Vogtland district, the Leipzig district and the Bautzen district. But what about the old town around Leipzig?

There are still around 370 fax connections in the Leipzig city administration itself; However, these are not each assigned to a fax machine. In 2022, a total of over 600 fax machines were still in operation. However, this has changed significantly: in July 2025, only around 2,500 faxes were received and 400 were sent. The state capital Dresden is also planning to switch off fax communication by the end of the year. There are around 300 fax numbers active here, but faxes hardly play a role in everyday life.

Data protection concerns and the everyday life of authorities

A key reason for the decline in fax machines is significant data protection concerns. As the Saxon Switzerland-Oster Ore Mountains District Office explains, fax communication no longer meets modern data protection requirements. Faxes can be read in plain text and therefore pose a risk. The data protection expert from the Saxon data protection commissioner even described fax machines as questionable in terms of security, comparable to unencrypted emails or postcards, such as MDR reported.

There are still around 170 fax numbers active in Chemnitz. Around 2,000 faxes are sent and 6,000 received every quarter. The North Saxony district office only has a classic fax machine in use for crisis situations, and fax machines can also be found in the Zwickau district, but only in specialized offices such as the health department or the fire protection and disaster control department. There are still 58 fax machines in the Erzgebirgskreis, while the fax is still considered a legally binding means of communication.

The view over the borders of Saxony

The trend towards digitalization is noticeable in many parts of Germany. A year ago, the Bundestag abolished its last fax machines. In many areas, particularly in the judiciary and healthcare, fax communication is being used less and less. According to a survey by Bitkom, only 18% of companies in Germany still use fax frequently, which represents a decrease of 33% in 2023. The era of fax machines seems to be finally coming to an end, as they are losing importance in public administration due to strict data protection regulations.

However, faxes are still used in certain areas, such as as a backup in emergencies. The Technical Relief Agency, which has around 1,000 fax machines, is not completely dependent on this technology, and in Jena, North Rhine-Westphalia, faxes are only sent in exceptional cases, for example when written form is required. However, the city is aiming to communicate more via an encrypted electronic authority mailbox.

The debate about the future of fax machines is a sign of how much the communication culture in administration is changing. The pressure for digitalization is growing, and the economy is increasingly calling for the abolition of outdated fax technology Haufe reported. However, in Lower Saxony and Bremen, fax machines are still used, which shows that the technology is not entirely a thing of the past.

In summary, it can be said that fax machines are on the decline in Saxony's administrations, while the authorities are turning more and more to electronic communication. Time will tell whether the fax will really soon become a thing of the past or whether it will continue to occupy a niche.