Signalling System #7(SS7) Protocol.

 

          Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) is a set of telephony signaling protocols which are used to set up most of the world's public switched telephone network telephone calls. The main purpose is to set up and tear down telephone calls. Other uses include number translation, prepaid billing mechanisms, short message service (SMS), and a variety of other mass market services.

SS5 and earlier systems used in-band signaling(In telecommunications, In-band signaling is the sending of metadata and control information in the same band, on the same channel, as used for data.).

SS6 and SS7 implement out-of-band(out-of-band control signaling, signaling bits are sent in special order in a dedicated signaling frame.) signaling protocols.

        The term signaling, when used in telephony, refers to the exchange of control information associated with the establishment of a telephone call on a telecommunications circuit. An example of this control information is the digits dialed by the caller, the caller's billing number, and other call-related information.

In contrast, SS7 signaling is termed Common Channel Signaling (CCS) in that the path and facility used by the signaling is separate and distinct from the telecommunications channels that will ultimately carry the telephone conversation. With CCS, it becomes possible to exchange signaling without first seizing a facility, leading to significant savings and performance increases in both signaling and facility usage.

        Because of the mechanisms used by signaling methods prior to SS7 (battery reversal, multi-frequency digit outpulsing, A- and B-bit signaling), these older methods could not communicate much signaling information. Usually only the dialed digits were signalled, and only during call setup. For charged calls, dialed digits and charge number digits were outpulsed. SS7, being a high-speed and high-performance packet-based communications protocol, can communicate significant amounts of information when setting up a call, during the call, and at the end of the call. This permits rich call-related services to be developed. Some of the first such services were call management related services that many take for granted today: call forwarding (busy and no answer), voice mail, call waiting, conference calling, calling name and number display, call screening, malicious caller identification, busy callback.

 

SS7 Protocol Stack

The hardware and software functions of the SS7 protocol are divided into functional abstractions called "levels." These levels map loosely to the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) 7-layer model defined by the International Standards Organization (ISO).

                    The OSI Reference Model and the SS7 Protocol Stack

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. Physical interfaces defined include E-1 (2048 kb/s; 32 64 kb/s channels), DS-1 (1544 kb/s; 24 64kb/s channels), V.35 (64 kb/s), DS-0 (64 kb/s) and DS-0A (56 kb/s).

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 (or set of messages) is retransmitted. MTP Level 2 is equivalent to the OSI Data Link Layer.

MTP Level 3 provides message routing between signaling points in the SS7 network. MTP Level 3 reroutes 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.

Telephone User Part (TUP) 

In some parts of the world (i.e., China and Brazil), the Telephone User Part (TUP) is used to support basic call setup and tear-down. TUP handles analog circuits only. In many countries, ISUP has replaced TUP for call management.

Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)

SCCP provides connectionless and connection-oriented network services and global title translation (GTT) capabilities above MTP Level 3. A global title is an address (e.g., a dialed 800 number, calling card number or mobile subscriber identification number) that 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.

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. For example, an 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. In mobile networks (IS-41 and GSM), TCAP carries Mobile Application Part (MAP) messages sent between mobile switches and databases to support user authentication, equipment identification and roaming.