Abstract: Facsimile transmission apparatus for transmitting and receiving facsimile messages over a network, the apparatus comprising a facsimile transmission control device operative, upon occurrence of a network transmission delay which would otherwise cause an associated local facsimile device to disconnect, to supply at least one disconnection-preventing signal to the associated local facsimile device until a signal arrives from a remote facsimile device via the network and the switchboard, a switchboard interface operative to interface between said facsimile transmission control device and the switchboard and a network interface operative to interface between said facsimile transmission control device and the network.