This section of IEC 870‑5 applies to telecontrol equipment and systems with coded bit serial data transmission for monitoring and controlling geographically widespread processes.

The defined link procedures are restricted to message transmission sequences operating with size 1 windows. This means that the link layer of the primary station (station that initiates a message transfer) accepts a request for a new message transfer only when a previously accepted request for a message transfer is terminated either successfully or with an error indication. The procedures are applicable to balanced and unbalanced transmission in telecontrol systems using half duplex or duplex transmission channels.