This document details the criteria required for communications between an electric power metering device and a utility host via a modem connected to the switched telephone network. The utility host could be a laptop or portable computer, a master station system, an electric power metering device, or some other electronic communications device.

This standard does not specify the implementation requirements of the telephone switched network to the modem, nor does it include definitions for the establishment of the communication channel.

This document provides details for an implementation of the OS1 7-layer model.

The protocol specified in this document was designed to transport data in table format. The table definitions are referenced in Section 2.0, References, and Annex E of this document.

This document specifies the differences between ANSI Std Cl2.18-1996, Protocol Specification for ANSI Type 2 Optical Port and ANSI Std C12.19-1997, Utility Industry End Device Data Tables and those features and services required to describe a protocol specification for Telephone Modem Communications.