A maintenance information communication terminal, the terminal exchanging maintenance information on an apparatus to be maintenanced with a maintenance information management host, the terminal and the host being connectable together by a line, the apparatus connected to the terminal, the terminal comprising: a host number memory section that stores a telephone number of the host; a terminal call origination section that originates a call to the host of the stored telephone number so that the host recognizes a telephone number of the terminal; and a ringing duration controlling section that controls a ringing duration of the call so as to halt the call before the host connects the line and thereby to request the host to start communication.