Internet Facsimile Over Data Modem and Fax Modem

[Ken Camarro <kcamarro@xxxxxxxx>]

Justplayed9holesatPar3eatyourheartout.Justbeforeweatherdiveto32Ffrom54F.

I think I may have missed something somewhere.

1.      I have been assuming that the internet compliant facsimile
transceiver would operate under data modem, and thus fax modem and data
modem would be co-resident in the resulting multifunction systems.  This
could be a  standalone internet fax machine or internet fax server etc.  

2.      But it occurred to me on the fifth hole today that the ietf-fax
effort may be operating on the assumption that internet facsimile as we
know it =>Email Fax and Session Fax under Internet Facsimile, may be
focusing on accomplishing internet facsimile under fax modem.  This makes a
big difference in the discussion concerning T.30 and receipts etc.

3.      In my last, unfortunately too long Tough Love missive, I was going
on the assumption of operation under data modem and that is why I blithely
said our job is to optimize Internet Fax under the Internet infrastructure
and thus data modem.  In other words I had not contemplated SMTP servers to
install fax modems to support Internet Fax.

4.      It may be possible, with software, for SMTP data modem servers,
while operating under data modem, to answer an incoming call from a
compliant internet fax machine operating under fax modem.  Once this hurdle
was past, then the addressing issue would come into play where on a
compliant internet fax transceiver, there will  be provision for entry of
alphanumeric addresses..  I am assuming that many SMTP servers have data
modem silicon without fax modem and that for the moment _we are assuming
data modem at the SMTP server_.

5.      The next issue is does this internet fax transceiver then operate
under T.30 or under a different protocol  with the result that we are
talking about a totally different session.

6.      On this basis even a legacy machine could dial up an SMTP server
and if a simple way could be found (using a serial attachment on the line,
to inject the email or www address) we would be in business. Iffffffffff
the SMTP server did T.30.  But I think this would lead to a disaster since
this transmission will chew up a different magnitude of time under fax
modem.   I think this would be so for both the legacy unit as well as the
internet fax compliant unit.

7.      Some of the previous addressing issues might have been clearer if
these ground rules were clear.  Again I may have missed a piece somewhere.

8.      As a result, I believe we immediately have two classes of internet
facsimile.  

                The first class or class one (ugh) is _data modem internet
facsimile_ where the internet fax transceiver design has to change to
support data modem;

and: 

                The second class or class two is _fax modem internet
facsimile_ where the SMTP server has to change to support fax modem.      

(By the way I am assuming that SMTP server is the server my modem board
calls when I dial out.  If I am wrong please make the conversion.)

9.      Great!  Another set of terms!  Data modem Internet Fax and
Facsimile Modem Internet Fax. Class One and Two if you want.

10.      My assumption has been that we were working on Class One because
we were not planning on upgrading the SMTP server base to support fax modem
and Class Two of internet facsimile as defined above.  Now maybe the ISPs
want to do this.  I don't know.

Which one are we working on?

Fore!