Abstract: A telephone device and method for operating the telephone device. The telephone device has one bi-directional line connecting the telephone device to central office switching equipment. A memory in the telephone device contains at least one nontelephony application program. An application in the memory of the telephone device provides a method that determines when the telephone device is in an off-hook condition. The method then determines that at least one nontelephony application program command has been requested. In response to receiving the request, the method executes the at least one nontelephony application program command while the telphone device is in the off-hook condition.