CCS#7 Signaling
Advantages of ccs#7
Faster call setup
Reduced post dialing delay.
Less complex voice circuit design
New services can be made available with
better quality.
It is possible to transmit signals during
speech phase also
Network management support
Supports database services.
faster call setup times (compared to
in-band signaling using multi-
frequency (MF) signaling tones)
more efficient use of voice circuits
support for Intelligent Network (IN)
services which require signaling to
network elements without voice
trunks (e.g., database systems)
improved control over fraudulent
network usage
Save network operating costs by
reducing SS7 links.
Principles and terminology
CCS#7 is a method of signalling that
employs a single separate channel for
conveying signalling information for a
large number of circuit switched channels
by means of labeled messages called
signalling units
The signalling unit can contain signalling
information such as trunk setup and take
down, NW magt or database queries.
The CCS# 7 model is a simplified OSI
model
There are only four building blocks.
The MTP comprising of level 1-3 &
user parts as level 4.
The signalling Point is any node in
the CCS# 7 network
The SP originates, terminates or
transfers signal units.
ASSOCIATED MODE
Inthe associated mode signalling
follows the same route as the circuit
switched traffic.
A B
Quasi associated mode
Thequasi associated mode of
signalling is a limited case of the non
associated mode where the path
taken by the message through the
signalling network is predetermined
C
APPLICATIONS
The SS7 network and protocol are
used for:
basic call setup, management,
and tear down
wireless services such as personal
communications services (PCS),
wireless roaming, and mobile
subscriber authentication
local number portability (LNP)
Signaling Points
Eachsignaling point in the SS7 network is
uniquely identified by a numeric point
code. Point codes are carried in signaling
messages exchanged between signaling
points to identify the source and
destination of each message. Each
signaling point uses a routing table to
select the appropriate signaling path for
each message.
The common channel carrying
signalling information is called ‘a
signalling link’
Iftwo SPs exchange signalling
messages with each other they are
said to have a signalling relation.
Signaling Links
SS7 messages are exchanged between
network elements over 64 kilobit per
second (kbps) bidirectional channels
called signaling links.
A number of signalling links that
directly interconnects two SPs
constitute a signalling linkset
Signaling occurs out-of-band on
dedicated channels rather than in-band
on voice channels. Compared to in-
band signaling, out-of-band signaling
provides:
Message Transfer Part
The Message Transfer Part (MTP) is
divided into three levels.
The lowest level, MTP Level 1, is
equivalent to the OSI Physical Layer.
MTP Level 1 defines the physical,
electrical, and functional
characteristics of the digital signaling
link.
MTP Level 2 ensures accurate end-to-end
transmission of a message across a
signaling link.
Level 2 implements flow control, message
sequence validation, and error checking.
When an error occurs on a signaling link,
the message is retransmitted.
MTP Level 2 is equivalent to the OSI Data
Link Layer
MTP LEVEL 3
MTP Level 3 provides message
routing between signaling points in
the SS7 network.
MTP Level 3 re-routes traffic away
from failed links and signaling points
and controls traffic when congestion
occurs.
MTP Level 3 is equivalent to the OSI
Network Layer.
ISDN User Part (ISUP)
The ISDN User Part (ISUP) defines the
protocol used to set-up, manage, and
release trunk circuits that carry voice
and data between terminating line
exchanges (e.g., between a calling party
and a called party).
ISUP is used for both ISDN and non-
ISDN calls. However, calls that originate
and terminate at the same switch do not
use ISUP signaling.
TYPES OF SIGNALLING UNITS
An SS7 message is called a signal
unit (SU). There are three kinds of
signal units
Fill-In Signal Units (FISUs),
Link Status Signal Units (LSSUs),
Message Signal Units (MSUs) .
Message Signal Units
Message Signal Units (MSUs) carry all
call control, database query and
response, network management, and
network maintenance data in the
signaling information field (SIF
( ).
MSUs have a routing label which
allows an originating signaling point
to send information to a destination
signaling point across the network
Link Status Signal Units
Link Status Signal Units (LSSUs) carry
one or two octets (8-bit bytes) of
link status information between
signaling points at either end of a
link.
The link status is used to control link
alignment and to indicate the status
of a signaling point to the remote
signaling point.
FILL-IN SIGNAL UNITS
Fill-In
Signal Units (FISUs) are
transmitted continuously on a signaling
link in both directions unless other
signal units (MSUs or LSSUs) are
present. FISUs carry basic level 2
information only .
Because a CRC checksum is calculated
for each FISU, signaling link quality is
checked continuously by both signaling
points at either end of the link.
FISUs are sent only at predefined
timer intervals (e.g., once every 150
milliseconds).
FLAG
The flag indicates the beginning of a
new signal unit and implies the end
of the previous signal unit (if any).
The binary value of the flag is 0111
1110. Before transmitting a signal
unit, MTP Level 2 removes "false
flags" by adding a zero-bit after any
sequence of five one-bits.
4 Telephone User Part (TUP)
5 ISDN User Part (ISUP)
6 Data User Part (call and circuit-
related messages)
7 Data User Part (facility
registration/cancellation messages)
LENGTH INDICATOR
The value of the LI (Length Indicator)
field determines the signal unit type:
LI Value Signal Unit Type
0 Fill-In Signal Unit (FISU)
1..2 Link Status Signal Unit
(LSSU)
3..63 Message Signal Unit (MSU)
SIGNALING INFORMATION
FIELD
The SIF in an MSU contains the
routing label and signaling
information (e.g., SCCP, TCAP, and
ISUP message data).
LSSUs and FISUs contain neither a
routing label nor an SIO as they are
sent between two directly connected
signaling points.
MESSAGE HANDLING
MTP Level 3 routes messages based on the
routing label in the signaling information
field (SIF) of message signal units. The
routing label is comprised of the
destination point code (DPC),
originating point code (OPC), and
signaling link selection (SLS) field.
Points codes are numeric addresses which
uniquely identify each signaling point in
the SS7 network.
When the destination point code in a
message indicates the receiving
signaling point, the message is
distributed to the appropriate user
part (e.g., ISUP or SCCP) indicated by
the service indicator in the SIO.
Messages destined for other
signaling points are transferred
provided that the receiving signaling
point has message transfer
capabilities (like an STP). The
selection of outgoing link is based on
information in the DPC and SLS.
Signaling Link Selection
(SLS)
The selection of outgoing link is
based on information in the DPC and
Signaling Link Selection field. The
SLS is used to:
Ensure message sequencing. Any
two messages sent with the same
SLS will always arrive at the
destination in the same order in
which they were originally sent.
Allow equal load sharing of traffic
among all available links. In theory, if
a user part sends messages at
regular intervals and assigns the SLS
values in a round-robin fashion, the
traffic level should be equal among
all links (within the combined linkset)
to that destination.
Signaling Connection Control
Part (SCCP)
SCCPprovides connectionless and
connection-oriented network services
and global title translation (GTT)
capabilities above MTP Level 3.
Global Title
A global title is an address (e.g., a
dialed 800 number, calling card
number, or mobile subscriber
identification number) which is
translated by SCCP into a destination
point code and subsystem number.
A subsystem number uniquely
identifies an application at the
destination signaling point. SCCP is used
as the transport layer for TCAP-based
services.
TCAP
Inmobile networks , TCAP carries
Mobile Application Part (MAP)
messages sent between mobile
switches and databases to support
user authentication, equipment
identification, and roaming.
Transaction Capabilities
Applications Part (TCAP)
TCAP supports the exchange of non-circuit
related data between applications across
the SS7 network using the SCCP
connectionless service.
Queries and responses sent between SSPs
and SCPs are carried in TCAP messages.
SSP sends a TCAP query to determine the
routing number associated with a dialed
800/888 number and to check the
personal identification number (PIN) of a
calling card user.
THANK YOU
