Telephony is a technology that integrates computers with the telephone network. With telephony, people can use their computers to take advantage of a wide range of sophisticated communications features and services over a telephone line.
The Telephony Application Programming Interface (TAPI) lets programmers develop applications that provide personal telephony to users. TAPI supports both speech and data transmission, allows for a variety of terminal devices, and supports complex connection types and call-management techniques such as call conferencing, call waiting, and voice mail. TAPI allows all elements of telephone usage, from the simple dial-and-speak call to international e-mail, to be controlled within applications developed for the Microsoft® Win32® application programming interface.