A facsimile apparatus comprising:
- first communication means comprising a cordless telephone set having a remote unit, for transmitting and receiving an aural signal via a telephone line;
- portable handset means for transmitting and receiving an aural signal via airwaves to and from said first communication means, respectively;
- second communication means for transmitting and receiving an image signal via said telephone line;
- reception signal detecting means, said reception signal detecting means comprises a photocoupler connected to said telephone line for responding to a communication signal from an exchanger, provided between said telephone line and said first and second communication means for detecting a reception signal from said telephone line;
- determining means for making determination in sequence, first whether said reception signal requests communication with said second communication means, when said reception signal detecting means detects said reception signal and second, whether said reception signal requests communication with said first communication means, so that appropriate automatic switching can be performed between the first communicating means and said second communicating means;
- ringing means, responsive to said determining means, for transmitting via airwaves a ringing burst only upon the determination that said reception signal requests communication with said first communication means;
- line connecting means, responsive to the determination result of said determining means, for connecting said first communication means when said determining means determines that said reception signal is said aural signal and said second communication means with said telephone line when said determining means determines that said reception signal is said image signal,
- said line connecting means allows communication with said first communication means only when said determining means makes determination that communication with said second communication means is not requested,
- a fax portion control containing a control central processing unit and a photocoupler;
- and
- a base unit with a central processing unit, operatively connected to said control central processing unit in said fax portion, so that when a signal from the control central processing unit is forwarded from said control unit a power supply activates said photocoupler for actuating a phototransistor so that voltage is detected by said central processing unit in said base unit.