[blubb]

I'm not in the US so I can't recommend any particular provider. http://www.voip-info.org/ has a lot of information about both providers and equipment.

- For hosting the PBX yourself without learning Asterisk or FreeSWITCH, I can recommend Askozia PBX, which is based on m0n0wall: http://www.askozia.com/

I've also used FreePBX-based systems like TrixBox CE, which are more full-featured and more customizable, but might take more effort to upgrade.

- For reliable faxing, make sure your VoIP provider supports the T.38 protocol and get an ATA (analogue adapter) that supports it. You can then set up T.38 passthrough in your PBX.

- For equipment, I'd recommend going with one of the "known" brands. I've used Linksys SPA9xx and Snom phones, but read forums to see what people recommend for the PBX you choose. Keep in mind that a lot of the buttons and features on the phone might not work "out of the box", depending on the PBX you choose. I'd stay away from no-name brands unless you have tried them yourself or have very good recommendations.