Several new electronic autoswitch boxes have come on the market which will let you use a single telephone line as both a dedicated fax line and a voice line. One will also let you add a computer on the same line. Those operating small offices will no longer need to have an additional line for the fax machine. MEC has tested two units manufactured by Command Communications of Aurora, CO. One, the Eliminator Autoswitch TF 300, costs $100 at discount stores and is designed for handling a phone and a facsimile machine. The other, the Autoswitch TF 500, is programmable and will also handle a computer and costs about $200. Obviously they can only be used for one service at a time, so if you are using your phone for voice communications, it will be busy to someone trying to send a fax or contact your computer.
These magical boxes intercept the incoming phone signal, scan it to see if there is a fax carrier (or a modem carrier) and if it detects either of these, it then switches the signal to that device. No phone rings.
If no carrier is detected, it rings your phone and you can answer it or let your answering machine answer for you.
The Autoswitch TF 500 also provides a programmable code which a caller with a manual fax machine (or the party called) can enter once voice communications is established to immediately switch to the fax machine. Another code will switch to the computer. The TF 300 does not have a separate provision for a computer, however it can be hooked in as a telephone instrument is for outgoing transmissions.
A message can be left on an answering machine so that the sender of a fax from a manual machine can be instructed what to do when you are not in. Isn't modern technology wonderful!!!
One limitation, at least with the TF 500 model, is the number of devices (phones, computers and answering machines) that can be hung on them. We have five phones including a radio phone, and one of everything else mentioned. Each box has a separate load tolerance and we tested three of them before finally finding one which would handle our load. Another solution with a high load is to reduce it by disconnecting the ringers of those instruments where you can hear the ring from another one. We did not experience the problem with the only TF 300 we tested.
But if you are a normal office, you won't have all of these devices hung on one line, and it will work as designed.
You can call Command Communications at (303) 750-6434 to get the name of your nearest distributor.
Associates of MEC should maintain current resumes or curriculum vitae with MEC because we often send them out to the client when we make a referral. Should a client want these transmitted by fax, we are pleased to do so for an additional cost of $10 (total referral cost is then $60).
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