SARA-G3 and SARA-U2 series - System Integration Manual 
UBX-13000995 - R26    System description 
    Page 46 of 217 
1.9.1  Asynchronous serial interface (UART) 
1.9.1.1  UART features 
The UART interface is a 9-wire 1.8 V unbalanced asynchronous serial interface available on all the SARA-G3 and 
SARA-U2 series modules, supporting: 
  AT command mode
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  Data mode and Online command mode
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  Multiplexer protocol functionality (see 1.9.1.5) 
  FW upgrades by means of the FOAT feature (see 1.13.17) 
  FW upgrades by means of the u-blox EasyFlash tool (see the Firmware update application note [27]) 
  Trace log capture (diagnostic purposes) 
 
  SARA-G3 modules do not support FW upgrades using the EasyFlash tool and trace log capture over UART. 
 
SARA-G3  and  SARA-U2  series  modules’  UART  interface  is  by  default  configured  in  AT  command  mode:  the 
module waits for AT command instructions and interprets all the characters received as commands to execute. 
All the functionalities supported by SARA-G3 and SARA-U2 series modules can be in general set and configured 
by AT commands (see the u-blox AT Commands Manual [3]). 
 
The UART interface provides RS-232 functionality conforming to the ITU-T V.24 Recommendation (more details 
available in ITU Recommendation [10]), with CMOS compatible signal levels: 0 V for low data bit or ON state, 
and  1.8  V  for  high  data  bit  or  OFF  state.  For  detailed  electrical  characteristics,  see  the  SARA-G3  series  Data 
Sheet [1] and the SARA-U2 series Data Sheet [2]. 
SARA-G3 and SARA-U2 series modules are designed to operate as a 2G or 3G cellular modem, which represents 
the Data Circuit-terminating  Equipment (DCE)  according to ITU-T  V.24  Recommendation [10].  The  application 
processor connected to the module through the UART interface represents the Data Terminal Equipment (DTE). 
 
  The signal names of  SARA-G3 and SARA-U2 series modules’ UART interface conform to the ITU-T V.24 
Recommendation  [10]:  e.g.  the  TXD  line  represents  the  data  transmitted  by  the  DTE  (application 
processor data line output) and received by the DCE (module data line input). 
 
All flow control handshakes are supported by the UART interface and can be set by appropriate AT commands 
(see  the  u-blox  AT  Commands  Manual  [3],  &K,  +IFC,  \Q  AT  commands):  hardware,  software,  or  none  flow 
control. 
 
  Hardware flow control is enabled by default. 
 
SARA-G3 modules support the autobauding: the baud rate automatic detection is performed each time the DTE 
sends AT commands. After the detection the module works at the detected baud rate and the baud rate can be 
runtime changed by the DTE or by AT command (see the u-blox AT Commands Manual [3], +IPR command). 
SARA-U2 modules support only the one-shot autobauding: the baud rate automatic detection is performed only 
once, at module start-up. After the detection the module works at the detected baud rate and the baud rate can 
only be changed by AT command (see the u-blox AT Commands Manual [3], +IPR command). 
  
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 See the u-blox AT Commands Manual [3] for the definition of the command mode, data mode, and online command mode.