The duration required for a facsimile transmission to complete varies based on several factors. These include the length of the document, the connection speed of the sending and receiving fax machines, and the complexity of the document being transmitted. A single-page text document sent over a high-speed connection will naturally transmit much faster than a multi-page document containing images and sent over a slower connection.
Facsimile technology, while predating the widespread adoption of email and digital document sharing, provided a vital function in transmitting documents quickly and reliably across distances. Its historical significance lies in its ability to provide a physical, verifiable copy of a document, which was particularly important for legal and business transactions. The effectiveness of this technology hinged on its ability to deliver these documents with relative speed.