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From: hrs1@cbnewsi.att.com (herman.r.silbiger)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: Re: FAXMAIL Proposal for E-Mail in Fax Standard
Summary: Fax e-mail proposal
Keywords: Facsimile, Fax, electronic mail
Message-ID: <1991Mar9.005957.13043@cbnewsi.att.com>
Date: 9 Mar 91 00:59:57 GMT
References: <2304@ccadfa.adfa.oz.au>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories
Lines: 30


I will summarize the long submission to which my comment is directed.  The 
author proposes that fax be used as an X.400 e-mail facility, by giving it the
capability to exchange text and binary files, and some other optional facilities.

What the author is proposing has almost already been accomplished.  CCITT has
agreed that Group 3 fax should be able to have a file transfer mode, as well
as a character mode.  The file transfer mode was originally submitted by the
US, and is called BFT (Binary File Transfer).  The coding rules for BFT are
technically aligned with FTAM (ISO 8751).  Not all of the FTAM attributes are
supported, and some additional non-FTAM attributes have been added.  In 
addition, a DFT, Document File Transfer, proposal from the French will be
added for ASCII documents, and an EDI file tranfer as well.

The above methods all transfer files, which have to be interpreted externally
to the fax after reception.  The Character Mode in fax will transfer characters
rather than pels.  It requires a character generator in the fax terminal, but
allows the use of the fax terminal's print engine.  It also allows, on a part
or whole page basis, the intermixing of character and image (pel) information.

These enhancements to group 3 fax will likely be approved by Spring 1992.

There is also a submission to the CCITT Study Group VIII meeting 18-27 March in
Geneva from AT&T concerning access of G3 fax terminals to enhanced services.
A method is proposed for adding an information file to the fax transmission
which communicate address and service element information when fax terminals
access services such as X.400 MHS.

Herman Silbiger
hsilbiger@attmail.com