STUDENT NOTE 2330-01

CCS NO. 7

INTRODUCTION TO SIGNALLING

Table of contents
Chapter Objectives ..... Error!
Bookmark not defined.

"J, 1.0 Signalling - General .. .......2

1.1 Subscriber Loop Signalling ...........2

1.2 Inter-Exchange Signa11ing............... Error! Bookmark not defined.

1.3 Channel Associated Signalling - CAS .........4

1.4 Common Channel Signalling - CCS. .........5

1.5 Some obvious advantages are the following ......6

1.6 Application of CCS No. 7

'v' PREPARED BY C. KARUMA (2003)

- EDTTED BY M.MVZEZEWA (2004)
TRAINING CONSULTANTS (SWITCHING)
TBLONE CENTRE FOR LEARNING
ccs No.7 STUDENT NOTE 2330-01
INTRODUCTION TO SIGNALLING Page 0

Introduction to Signalling

Chapter Objectives

The trainee will be able to:

. Define signalling
. Name the fundamental Subscriber Loop Signals
. Name the fundamental Inter-exchange Signals
. Describe the diflerence between CAS and CCS
. List the advantages of CCS No.7

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Engineering Training Unit
Outline of Signalling Systems No. 7 Chapter 1

1.0 Signalling - General

In a telephony context, signalling means the passing of information and instructions from
one point to another relevant to the setting up and supervision of a telephone call.

By tradition, Signalling has been divided into two types:

Subscriber Loop Signalling i.e. signalling between a subscriber terminal (telephone)
and the local exchange, and
Inter-exchange signalling i.e. signalling between exchanges. See Figure 1.1.

SIGNALLING

SUBSCRIBER-EXCHANGE EXCHANGE-EXCHANGE

Figure 1.1 Division of signalling.

The Inter-exchange Signalling has further been divided into: Channel associated
Signalling (CAS) i.e. signalling in the speech channel (in-band) or in a channel closely
associated with the speech channel i.e. associated with the speech channel, and Common
Channel Signalling (CCS) i.e. signallingtn a channel totally separated from the speech
channels and where this Signalling Channel is Common for a large number of speech
channels.

1.1 Subscriber Loop Signalling

To initiate a call, a telephone subscriber lifts the handset offits rest -"goes offhook".
This action is a signal to the exchange that the subscriber wants to make a phone call.

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Outline of Signalling Systcms No. 7 Chapter 1

As soon as appropriate receiving equipment has been connected to the line, the exchange
sends a dial tone back to the calling party, who then can start dialling the wanted
number.
The subscriber in due course then receives advice from the exchange about the status
of
the call, either a ringing tone, an engaged or busy tone signal, an equipment busy tone
signal (congestion), or some other specialized tone.

These are some of the signals with which the telephone subscribers themselves are
concerned. See Figure 1.2.

HOOK OFF

- RINGING SIGNAL

CONVEFSATION

HooK oN > ,,

fig 1.2 Subscriber loop signalling

Please note that the Calling Subscriber is always referred to as the A-subscriber, and the
Called Subscriber is called the B-subscriber.

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Engineering Training Unit
Outline of Signalling Systems No. 7
Chapter 1

1.2 Inter-Exchange Signalling

Telephone signalling is however also concerned with the signalling

of information
between exchanges (line and register signars). See Figure r.3.

CONVERSATION

Figure 1.3 Inter-exchange signals.

The Register Signals are used during the set-up phase of a call
to transfer address
and category information, while the Line Signals are used during
the whole time
of a call to supervise the status of the line. The information contents
in these signals are
mainly the same as for the subscriber loop signals.

Until the mid 60's, all such signalling was carried on, or directly
associated with, the
speech path. This traditional type of signalling is generally
called Channel Associated
Signalling.

1.3 Channel Associated Signalling

- CAS
Through the years, a number of different signalling systems
of this kind have been
developed, some of them defined by CCITT

Examples of these channel Associated Signalling (cAS) systems

are:

a) 1VF - one Voice Frequency (Decadic pulsing)

b) 2VF - two Voice Frequencies (CCITT #a)

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Engineering Training Unit
Outline of Signalling Systems No. 7 Chapter 1

c) MFP - Multi Frequency Pulsed (CCITT #5, Rl)

d) MFC - Multi Frequency Compelled (CCITT R2, MFC)

The names of,these signalling systems tell that the most common way of
transmitting the signals are in the form of pulses or tones (combination of tone
frequencies).

Characteristic for this type of signalling is that for each speech channel there
is one unambiguously defined signalling path, either:
On-speech-path, i.e. the signals are transferred in the speech channel, for
example In-Band Signalling.

Or:

Channel-associated, i.e. the signals are transferred in a separate signalling

channel, for example the multi-frame arrangement in PCM where the line
signals are transferred in time slot 16.

of these signalling systems have a number of limitations like: Relatively

A-11

slow, limited information capacity etc.

During the 1960's, when Stored Program Controlled exchanges were

introduced in the telephone networks, it was obvious that a new signalling
concept could offer many advantages compared to the traditional signalling
systems.

In this new signalling concept, fast data links between the processors of the
SPC exchanges were used to carry all the signalling, leaving the voice circuits
to carry speech.

This new type of signalling is commonly referred to as Common Channel

Signalling (CCS).

1.4 Common Channel Signalling - CCS

In this type of signalling system, signalling for numerous circuits can be handled by a few
fast signalling data links. The signalling is performed in both directions, with one
signalling channel in each direction.
The signalling information that will be transferred is grouped into signal units (data
packets). Besides the signalling information itself, there is also need for speech circuit
identification and address information (label) and information for error control.

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Outline of Signalling Systems No. 7 Chapter 1

The SPC (Stored Program Control) exchanges together with the Signalling Links thus
form a separate logical "packet switched" signalling network.

Today, there are two different standard systems for common channel
signalling available.
The first system, CCITT No.6, was produced as early as 1968, and is
intended for use on analog lines, primarily for intercontinentai traffis.
The second system, CCITT No.7, which was specifi ed in 1979180, is intended primarily
for digital networks, both national and international, where the high transmissionrate (64
kb/s) can be exploited. It may also be used on analog lines.
CCITT No.7 signalling has not only been designed to control the setting up and
supervision of telephone calls but of non-voice services also. The system has several
advantages compared with traditional signalling systems.

1.5 Some obvious advantages are the following:

FAST - the time for call set up is reduced to less than one second in most cases.
IIIGH CAPACITY - each signalling link can handle the signalling for several thousand
simultaneous calls.
ECONOMIC - much less signalling equipment is required, compared to traditional
signalling systems.
RELIABLE - by using alternate signalling routes, the signalling network can be made
very secure.
FLEXIBLE - the system can contain many more signals, for example, and can be used
for other purposes than telephony.

1.6 Application of CCS No. 7

The Signalling System No.7 was designed for Telephony as well as many other kinds of
Telecommunication S ervices.
During the 1980's, the demand for new types of Services has increased dramatically, and
the Signalling System No.7 has therefore been developed to meet the signalling
requirements from all these new Services. CCITT No.7 has become an increasingly
important basis for new Telecommunication Services in networks like:

PSTN the Public Switched Telephone Network

ISDN the Integrated Services Digital Network

IN the Intelligent Network

PLMN the Public Land Mobile Network

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