To shorten a transmission time, and also to improve reliability in communication, by obtaining a preamble time at each communication opposite party in the shortest time concerning communication equipment such as a facsimile.

The communication equipment for adding a preamble to a procedure control signal, and transmitting it includes a preamble time register means 24. The means 24 stores the communication opposite party terminal and the preamble time with respect to the terminal by making them correspond. When a procedure signal is transmitted to the communication opposite party terminal, the preamble of the preamble time stored in the preamble time register means 24 is transmitted.