become available fig2 is a detailed diagram of storage and interface 160 facsimile signals come into toll switch 144 via an incoming trunk 220 connected to toll switch 142 facsimile signals leave toll switch 144 via an outgoing trunk 240 connected to toll switch 146 either incoming tank 220 or outgoing trunk 240 or both may be two way trunks the trunks are connected to storage and interface unit 160 via the switching network 158 of toll switch 144 incoming signals are directed to an incoming spooler 230 the spooler comprises a facsimile receiver front end for interfacing with facsimile signals and for receiving and generating the proper protocol signals for establishing communications with a facsimile transmitter of facsimile source 110 the received facsimile signals are passed by facsimile receiver front end 232 to buffer storage and thence via a direct memory access unit to a bulk storage disk 210 similarly the contents of bulk storage disk 210 are transmitted via an outgoing spooler 250 via network 159 to outgoing trunk 240 which is connected to toll switch 146 the outgoing spooler 250 comprises a direct memory access unit for interfacing between the disk and a buffer storage 254 and a facsimile transmitter front end 256 for taking the output of buffer storage 254 and transmitting the contents of this buffer storage to outgoing trunk 240 the facsimile transmitter or receiver front end performs the same functions as the front end of a full conventional facsimile transmitter or transceiver it generates the protocol signals.