The necessity of a dedicated telephone connection for facsimile transmission is a central consideration when evaluating methods for sending and receiving documents electronically. Traditional fax machines relied exclusively on analog phone lines to transmit data, converting document images into signals that could be sent and reassembled at the receiving end. A business using this technology required a physical phone line connected directly to the fax machine.
The dependence on physical infrastructure presented both advantages and disadvantages. While offering a reliable and established method for document transfer, it also introduced limitations in terms of mobility, cost, and scalability. Each fax machine required its own dedicated line, increasing expenses and infrastructure complexity as business needs grew. Furthermore, document delivery was confined to locations with established phone line connections.
