scope:

This standard is applicable to the interconnection of data terminal equipment (DTE) and data circuit-terminating equipment (DCE) employing serial binary data interchange. It defines:

Section 2 Signai Characteristics:

Electrical and grounding characteristics of the interchange signals and associated circuitry.

Section 3 Interface Mechanical Characteristics:

Definition of the mechanical characteristics of the interface between the DTE and the DCE.

Section 4 Functional Description of Interchange Circuits:

Functional description of a set of data, timing and control interchange circuits for use at a digital interface between a DTE and a DCE.

Section 5 Standard Interfaces for Selected Communication System Configurations:

Standard subsets of specific interchange circuits are defined for a specific group of data communication system applications.

In addition, the standard includes:

Section 6 Recommendations and Explanatory Notes