Complete guide to requesting mail scans from your C-Band Mailbox, covering exterior and interior scans, scan resolution, turnaround times, costs, and batch requests.
Requesting Mail Scans
Mail scanning is one of the most powerful features of your C-Band Mailbox service. It allows you to view the contents of your mail digitally from anywhere in the world, without needing to physically be at your mailbox location. Whether you need to review a letter, check a statement, or archive an important document, this guide covers everything you need to know about requesting and receiving mail scans.
Types of Mail Scans
C-Band Mailbox offers two types of scans, each serving a different purpose:
Exterior Scans
An exterior scan captures the front of the envelope or package as it was received. This scan is typically generated automatically when the operator logs your mail into the system. Exterior scans allow you to:
- See who the mail is from (sender name and return address).
- Identify the type of mail (letter, large envelope, package).
- Decide whether you want to open and scan the contents, forward the item, or dispose of it.
Exterior scans are included at no additional cost for all plans.
Interior Scans (Content Scans)
An interior scan involves the operator opening the envelope and scanning the contents page by page. This gives you a complete digital copy of the documents inside. Interior scans are ideal for:
- Reviewing letters, invoices, statements, and legal documents.
- Archiving important correspondence digitally.
- Making decisions about whether to forward or shred the physical item.
Interior scans may incur a per-scan fee depending on your subscription plan. See the Pricing section below for details.
How to Request a Scan
From Your Dashboard
To request a scan for a specific mail item:
- Log in to your C-Band Mailbox dashboard.
- Navigate to your Mail Inbox.
- Find the mail item you want scanned.
- Click the "Scan" button on the item.
- Select the scan type: Exterior Only or Interior (Open & Scan).
- Confirm the request.
You will receive a notification when the scan is complete and ready for viewing.
Automatic Scanning
If you want all incoming mail to be scanned automatically without submitting individual requests:
- Navigate to Settings > Mail Preferences.
- Enable "Automatic Scanning".
- Choose whether to auto-scan exteriors only or both exteriors and interiors.
- Click "Save".
With automatic scanning enabled, every piece of mail received at your operator location will be scanned according to your preferences as soon as it is processed.
Batch Scan Requests
If you have multiple items in your inbox that need scanning, you can submit a batch request:
- In your Mail Inbox, select multiple items using the checkboxes.
- Click the "Batch Actions" button.
- Select "Request Scan".
- Choose the scan type for all selected items.
- Confirm the batch request.
Batch scanning is more efficient than individual requests and is processed as a single action by the operator.
Scan Quality and Resolution
C-Band Mailbox maintains strict quality standards for all scans:
- Resolution: All scans are captured at a minimum of 300 DPI (dots per inch), which provides clear, readable detail for text documents and images.
- Color: Scans are captured in full color by default. Color scanning ensures that logos, signatures, colored text, and images are accurately represented.
- Orientation: Documents are scanned in the correct orientation (portrait or landscape) and are rotated if needed to ensure proper readability.
- Full document visibility: All edges of the document must be visible in the scan with no cut-off text or content.
- Multi-page documents: Documents with multiple pages are scanned in their entirety, with each page captured as a separate image or combined into a single PDF.
Scan Output Format
Scanned documents are provided in high-resolution PDF format. This means:
- Documents are clear and readable at any zoom level.
- Multi-page documents are combined into a single PDF file.
- Scans are suitable for digital archiving, printing, and sharing.
Turnaround Time
Scan turnaround times depend on the operator and current processing volume:
- Exterior scans: Typically completed within a few hours of mail receipt, as they are usually part of the standard mail logging process.
- Interior scans: Typically completed within 24 hours of your request during business days. Premium plan members may receive priority processing with faster turnaround.
- Batch scans: Processing time depends on the number of items in the batch. Allow 24-48 hours for large batch requests.
Pricing
Scan pricing varies by subscription plan:
- Basic Plan: Includes a limited number of interior scans per month (see your plan details). Additional scans are charged on a per-scan basis.
- Business Plan: Includes a higher monthly scan allowance. Additional scans at a discounted per-scan rate.
- Premium Plan: Includes unlimited interior scans at no additional cost.
Exterior scans are included at no additional cost for all plans. For current pricing details, visit our pricing page.
Viewing Your Scans
Once a scan is complete, you can view it in your dashboard. For detailed instructions on viewing, downloading, and managing scanned documents, see our guide on viewing your mail online.
Quality Guarantee
If a scan does not meet our quality standards (blurry, cut-off, incorrect orientation, or otherwise unreadable), you are entitled to a free rescan at no additional cost. To request a rescan, use the "Request Rescan" option on the scan item in your dashboard or contact support. For more information about scan quality standards and troubleshooting, see our guide on scan quality issues.
Tips for Best Results
- Request scans promptly: Scanning mail while it is fresh ensures the best document condition and scan quality.
- Use batch scanning: If you have multiple items to scan, batch requests are more efficient for both you and the operator.
- Review scans carefully: After receiving a scan, verify that all pages are included and the content is readable. Request a rescan immediately if there are any quality issues.
- Archive important scans: Download and save important scanned documents to your personal storage for long-term safekeeping.
For help with scanning or to report an issue, visit our Help Center or submit a support ticket.
