Abstract: There is disclosed a multi-line telephone communications system where the need for the hundreds of conductors that are necessary to connect each station to the control and switching equipment is eliminated. This is achieved by replacing the status indicating leads with analog signals impressed upon the voice leads. A specific signal level is assigned to each of the ring, busy, idle and hold functions so that the voice leads carry both the audio signal and status information signal for each line selectable at the telephone station. In response to activation of the telephone keys by the user a cross point switch establishes a voice signal connection between a selected voice line and a talk path associated with the selecting telephone station. A status signal representative of the status of at least the connected voice line and distinct from voice signals is impressed upon the voice line. This status signal is detected and processed for activating the status indicators at each telephone station.