The process by which a document is scanned and converted into electrical signals which are transmitted over a communications channel and recorded on a printed page or displayed on a computer screen. The scanner may be compared with a camcorder, and the recorder is similar to an office copier or a computer printer. As an alternative to scanning, a document stored in computer memory can be transmitted. As an alternative to recording, a text facsimile (fax) image can be captured in computer memory and converted into computer-processable text by optical character recognition (OCR) software. Telephone lines or satellites provide the communication channel. More than 99% of facsimile units are International Telegraph and Telephone Consultative Committee Group 3, used for sending business documents. The remainder have specialized designs tailored for a number of important applications that cannot be fulfilled by Group 3.