PURPOSE: To simplify communication procedure by sending out a prescribed RTC after a picture signal is sent out in transmission, sending out the picture signal of the next page immediately, or detecting the RTC in reception, and starting the reception of the next page immediately.

CONSTITUTION: A transmission side T, when completing pre-procedure by the CCITT recommendation T.30 procedure, sends out the RTC 2 after sending a message 1 on a first page, and starts the reading of the message 3 on the next page without interrupting read control and encode processing when an original exists. Hereinafter, when the page continues further, similar processing is repeated. When the final original arrives, a procedure completion signal EOP5 is transmitted after the RTC4 is sent out, and the CCITT recommendation T.30 procedure is executed. A reception side R, after recceiving the RTC, performs the reception monitoring of a procedure signal. When a message signal is received, recording control and decode processing are continued, and the message of the next page is received. When the procedure signal is received, the CCITT recommendation T.30 procedure is executed hereinafter.