Abstract: A message retrieval system is disclosed which includes a plurality of answering machines, each connected to respected telephone line. Each answering machine records telephone responses on a respective message memory unit and all message memory units are connected to a single message processor. The message processor is in turn connected to a number of retrieval consoles used by operators to transcribe messages from the message memory units.

Abstract: A portable line activity monitor is disclosed which utilizes a dedicated computer to tabulate a wide range of line traffic parameters. Preferably this monitor is used with a bridging adapter which accepts standard 50 pin telephone connectors as inputs in either the six line or the ten line pin format without adjustment or alteration, and the monitor computer is programmed to ignore all activity on those lines which never enter the idle or onhook state. In the preferred embodiment the computer is also programmed to store and display preselected parameters as histograms, to discriminate between incoming and outgoing calls based on the presence or absence of a ring prior to a line going off hook, and to recognize a ring by measuring the frequency of major fluctuations in the signal on the T-R pair of a telephone line.