Abstract: The present invention relates to a mobile communication device having a speech recognition for selecting and activating device function by acoustic input. Particularly, the present invention relates to a backup method to be used in case of failure of the speech recognition offering an advantageous method for selecting and activating the device functions operable with speech recognition by operation of switches and keys in an easy and fast way. The device functions, i.e. especially dialing of telephone numbers, are organized in data records. On receiving a user input, a list of the data records is displayed to the user. On receiving a further user input, one of the displayed list of data records is identified and an instruction is transmitted to at least one of several applications executed on the mobile communication device.