Signaling Technologies

What is Signalling ?

In telecommunication, signaling (signalling in British

English) has the following meanings:
the use of signals for controlling communications
the information exchange concerning the establishment and
control of a telecommunication circuit and the management of
the network, in contrast to user information transfer
the sending of a signal from the transmitting end of a
telecommunication circuit to inform a user at the receiving end
that a message is to be sent.
 What is Signalling ?
• Signaling systems may be classified based on
several principal characteristics:

 In-band and out-of-band signaling

 Line versus register signaling
 Channel-associated versus common-channel
signaling
 Compelled signaling
 Subscriber versus trunk signaling
 Many be some more…….
 In-band and out-of-band signaling
• In-band signaling is the exchange of call control
information within the same channel that the telephone
call itself is using.
– Example: dual-tone multi-frequency signaling (DTMF), which is
used on most telephone lines to customer premises.

• Out-of-band signaling is telecommunication signaling on

a dedicated channel separate from that used for the
telephone call.
– Example: Signaling System No. 6 (SS6) was introduced in the
1970s, and also in Signalling System No. 7 (SS7) in 1980.
 Signaling Techniques
• In-channel signaling

In-band Out-of-band
•SF Signaling (2600 Hz) •DC Current (on-/off-hook
•MF Signaling •Dial pulses (10 pps)
•DTMF Signaling •20 Hz Ringing voltage
C7 (SS7)
 C7 (SS7)
The full name is

Common Channel Signaling System # 7 (CCS7)

 Signal
Transfer Point

Switch A Switch B

Switch C Switch D
C7 (SS7)
C7 (SS7)
 Uses of C7 (SS7)
Basic Call Setup & Tear down

Database Access

Wireless Roaming Applications

Intelligent Network (IN) Services

Local Number Portability

Few more
 C7 (SS7)

SS7 Network Architecture

SS7 Protocol Suite and Messages

SS7 Examples and Call Flows

SS7 Network Architecture
 SS7 Network Architecture

SS7 Network Architecture

Signaling Elements Signaling Links

 SS7 Network Architecture

SS7 Signaling Elements

Service Switching Point (SSP) Signal Transfer Point (STP) Service Control Point (SCP)
 SS7 Network Architecture

SS7 Signaling Links

A links B links C links D links E links F links

SS7 Signaling Elements
SS7 Signaling Elements
SS7 Signaling Elements
 SS7 Signaling Elements
• An SS7 point code is similar to an IP address in an
IP network. It is a unique address for a node
(Signaling Point, or SP), used in MTP layer 3 (will
be discussed later ) to identify the destination of
a message signal unit (MSU).

• OPC (Originating Point Code) and a DPC

(Destination Point Code); sometimes documents
also refer to it as a signaling point code.
 SS7 Signaling Elements
• Depending on the network, a point code can
be
– 24 bits (North America, China)
– 16 bits (Japan), or 14 bits (ITU standard,
International SS7 network and most countries) in
length.
 SS7 Signaling Elements
• ANSI point codes use 24 bits, mostly in 8-8-8
format.
• ITU point codes use 14 bits and are written in 3-
8-3 format.
• Fourteen bit point codes can be written in a
number of formats.
– The most common formats are :
• decimal number
• hexadecimal number
• or 3-8-3 format (3 most significant bits, 8 middle bits, 3 least
significant bits).
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Service Switching Point (SSP)
Signal Transfer Point (STP)
Signal Transfer Point (STP)
 Signal Transfer Point (STP)

• STPs are configured in pairs and are mated to

provide redundancy and higher availability
• These mated STPs perform identical function
and are considered the home STPs for directly
connected SSP or SCP
 STP Hierarchy
• STP implementation can occur in multiple levels,
such :
 Local STP
 Regional STP
 National STP
 International STP
 Gateway STP
 STP Hierarchy
• The local, regional, and national STPs transfer
SS7 messages within the same network using
the same national standard of SS7 protocol
• International STP provide international
connectivity where the same International ITU-
T standard SS7 are deployed in both
networks
 Gateway STP
• Gateways STPs can provide the following functions:
 Protocol conversion from a national standard (
such as ANSI , ETSI ) to international standard (
ITU-T), or some other standard.
 Network-to Network Interconnection
 Network security features such as screening
 Screening is the capability to examine all incoming
and outgoing packets and allow only those which are
authorized
Service Control Point (SCP)
Service Control Point (SCP)
 IN Services
• Televoting
• Call screening
• Telephone number portability
• Toll free calls/Freephone
• Prepaid calling
• Account card calling
• Virtual private networks (such as family group
calling)
• Mass-calling service
• Many many more………..
 Service Control Point (SCP)
• SCP provides the interface to the databases
where additional information is stored
• The interface between the SCP and database
system is accomplished by a standard
protocol, which is usually X.25
• The database stores information related to its
application and is addressed by a subsystem
number, which is unique for each database
Service Control Point (SCP)

800 Database

900 Database

Local Number Portability Database

Home Location Register (HLR)

Visitor Location Register (VLR)

 SCP

STP STP

STP STP

SSP SSP
Signaling Links
Signaling Links
Signaling Links
 Signaling Data Links Types
Signaling Data Links Types

SS7 Signaling Links

A links B links C links D links E links F links

Signaling Data Links Types
 SS7 Architecture

NETWORK 2 NETWORK 1

STP pair STP pair STP pair

A-link
SCP
C-link
D-link B-link

E-link Voice/Data Trunk

A-link A-link
F-link
SSP SSP SS7 Signaling Link
Trunk
– Service Switching Point (SSP) is a telephony switch that performs call
processing.
– Service Control Point (SCP) contains databases for providing enhanced
services.
– Signal Transfer Point (STP) is a switch that relays SS7 messages between
SSPs and SCPs. 51
Signaling Data Links Types
Access Links ( A )
 Access Links ( A )
• Mostly SSPs or SCPs has at least two A-links that
connect to the “home” STP pair
• It is possible to have only one A-link to an STP;
however, this is not common practice
• The STP routes the A-link signaling messages
received from the originating SSP or SCP toward
the destination
Bridge Links ( B )
Cross Links ( C )
 Cross Links ( C )

• The STP pairs perform identical functions and

are mated to provide redundancy in the
network
• C-links are used only when failure or
congestion occurs
Diagonal Links ( D )
Extended Links ( E )
Fully Associated Links ( F )
 Fully Associated Links ( F )

• These links are used when STPs are not

available or when high traffic volumes exist
between the SSPs
SS7 Protocol Overview
SS7 Protocol Stack Vs. OSI Model

INAP :Intelligent Network Application

Protocol / Intelligent Network Application
Part
MAP: Mobile Application Part
Protocol layers (”levels”) of SS7

Application protocols
MAP CAP INAP
TUP ISUP
TCAP
SCCP
routing
MTP level 3
MTP level 2 (link-layer protocol)
MTP level 1 (64 kbit/s PCM time slot)

MTP - Message Transfer Part

SCCP - Signalling Connection Control Part
UP - User Part AP - Application Part
 Application protocols in SS7

TUP (Telephone User Part) – is being replaced by ISUP

ISUP (ISDN User Part) – for all signalling related to
setting up, maintaining, and releasing circuit switched
connections
MAP (Mobile User Part) – for transactions between
exchanges (MSC, GMSC) and databases (HLR, EIR, AuC)
in mobile networks
INAP (Intelligent Network Application Part) for IN
applications in fixed networks
CAP (CAMEL (Customized Applications for Mobile
networks Enhanced Logic ) Application Part) for
extended IN functionality in mobile networks (where MAP
is not sufficient ...)
MAP
 GSM NETWORK LAYOUT
• GSM network signaling, based on the GSM architecture.
• Fig. 10.1 shows various network signaling protocols used by the
entity interface in GSM.
• The GSM architecture can be partitioned into three part.
• Databases
• Switches
• Radio Systems
 GSM NETWORK LAYOUT
• Mobile Application Part (MAP) is an SS7 protocol that provides an
application layer for the various nodes in GSM and UMTS mobile
core networks and GPRS core networks to communicate with each
other in order to provide services to mobile phone users.

• MAP is used to access

• Home Location Register
• Visitor Location Register
• Mobile Switching Center
• Equipment Identity Register
• Authentication Centre
• Short message service center
• and Serving GPRS Support Node (SGSN).
 GSM Protocol layers
(GSM has MAP just like IS41)

• MAP makes use of the Transactions Capabilities Part (TCAP) transport

protocol.
• MAP functions:
– Updating of residence information in VLR
– Storage of routing information in HLR
– Updating and supplementing of user profiles in HLR
– Handoff of connections between MSCs

70
ISUP
 ISUP
• ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) User Part

• Used to set up telephone calls in the public switched

telephone network (PSTN)

• When a telephone call is set up from one subscriber to

another, several telephone exchanges could be involved,
possibly across international boundaries. To allow a call to
be set up correctly, where ISUP is supported, a switch will
signal call-related information like called party number to
the next switch in the network using ISUP messages.
 ISUP
• The telephone exchanges may be connected via E1 or T1
trunks which transport the speech from the calls.
• These trunks are divided into 64 kbit/s timeslots, and one
timeslot can carry exactly one call.
• Regardless of what facilities are used to interconnect
switches, each circuit between two switches is uniquely
identified by a circuit identification code (CIC) that is
included in the ISUP messages.
• The exchange uses this information along with the received
signaling information (especially the called party number)
to determine which inbound and outbound circuits should
be connected together to provide an end to end speech path.
 SS7 Protocol Stack

MTP Message Transfer Part

TUP Telephone User Part

ISUP ISDN User Part

SCCP Signaling Connection Control Part

TCAP Transaction Capabilities Application Part

 SS7 Protocol Stack
• The SS7 protocol stack consists of only four levels
• The OSI model consists of seven layers
• SS7 protocol stack does not perfectly align with the
OSI model

This is due to the fact that SS7 was developed

before the OSI model
Protocol layers (”levels”) of SS7

Application protocols
MAP CAP INAP
TUP ISUP
TCAP
SCCP
routing
MTP level 3
MTP level 2 (link-layer protocol)
MTP level 1 (64 kbit/s PCM time slot)

MTP - Message Transfer Part

SCCP - Signalling Connection Control Part
UP - User Part AP - Application Part
Message Transfer Part ( MTP )
Message Transfer Part ( MTP )
 Message Transfer Part ( MTP )

• MTP is divided into three levels

 MTP Level 1 ( Signaling Data Link )
 MTP Level 2 ( Signaling Link )
 MTP Level 3 ( Signaling Network )
MTP Level 1
 MTP Level 1
• Physical layer of SS7 protocol is MTP Level 1
• This Level defines the physical, electrical, and
functional characteristics of the digital signaling link
• The signaling data link should mostly be Terrestrial ,
although Satellite links are supported in the
standards
• Physical interfaces defined include
• DS-0 (64 kb/s)
• DS-0A (56 kb/s)
MTP Level 2
 MTP Level 2
• Data Layer of the SS7 protocol is MTP Level 2
• MTP2 has the following mechanisms
MTP Level 2
MTP Level 3
 MTP Level 3
• Routing in the signalling network
(using OPC, DPC) between SPs.
MTP Level 2 (in detail)
 MTP Level 2
• There are three types of signal units

Message Signal Unit ( MSU )

Link Status Signal Units ( LSSU )

Fill-In Signal Units ( FISU )
 Length Indicator ( LI )
• LI indicates the signal unit type & length in octets of
the upper level fields
• The 6-bit LI store values between zero and 63
LI value Signal Unit Type
0 FISU
1,2 LSSU
3……63 MSU ( MSUs are of
variable length )
Message Signal Unit ( MSU )
SS7 Level 4
 SS7 Level 4
 Telephone User Part (TUP)
 ISDN User Part (ISUP)
 Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)
 Transaction Capabilities Applications Part (TCAP)
 Mobile Application Part ( MAP)
 Operations, Maintenance and Administration Part
(OMAP)
 Intelligent Network Application Part (INAP)
 SS7 Level 4
• Level four in the SS7 network consists of
different protocols , called User Parts and
Application Parts
• For basic telephone call connection and
disconnect, following protocols are used
– TUP (Telephone User Part )
– ISUP (ISDN user Part )
• To access databases, the TCAP and SCCP are
used