SYSTEM TRAINING

Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Training Document

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

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Contents

Contents

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Module objectives.................................................................................

2
2.1
2.2
2.2.1
2.2.2

Introduction...........................................................................................
Standard messages................................................................................
Implementation and evolution.................................................................
Drawbacks of the CAS system................................................................
Common Channel Signalling (CCS)........................................................

3
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4

Common Channel Signalling System No. 7......................................

Message Transfer Part (MTP)...............................................................
Telephone User Part (TUP)...................................................................
Signalling Connection and Control Part (SCCP)....................................
Summary...............................................................................................

4
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4

Additional SS7 protocols in GSM networks......................................

Base Station Subsystem Application Part (BSSAP)..............................
Mobile Application Part..........................................................................
Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP)..................................
Summary...............................................................................................

5
5.1
5.2
5.3

SS7 layers in GSM elements..............................................................

Protocol stack in the MSC.....................................................................
Protocol stack in the HLR, VLR, and EIR..............................................
Protocol stack in the BSC......................................................................

Other signalling protocols in GSM....................................................

Summary and Key Points...................................................................

Review questions................................................................................

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Module objectives
After completing this module, the student will be able to:

Define the term signalling

Describe the SS7 protocol stack and its functions

Identify the SS7 protocol stacks implemented in each GSM network

element (BSC, MSC, and HLR)

without using any references.

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Introduction
Signalling in telecommunication networks has come a long way since the early
days when a lady operator used to sit at the central exchange.
Telecommunication networks were relatively simple and the general procedure
of setting up a call would go something like this:
You would pick up the handset of your telephone, electrical current would
flow to the exchange and a light would start blinking accompanied by a sound.
This would let the lady know that you are requiring service. She would plug in
one connector to your terminal and the other to her headphone and inquire
about whom you wanted to talk to. After listening to your answer, she would try
to connect you to the person you wanted to talk with.
Then she would pull out the connector from your terminal and connect it to
your intended party. He would then hear his phone ringing. After he answers,
the lady will connect you to him. While you are talking, she will supervise the
call, and once the conversation is over (which will be indicated by another
light), she will pull out the plugs. That would be a typical scenario at a
telephone exchange during the first half of this century.

%#!&?:^*
(%&#/=

Figure 1.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Standard messages
Soon after the invention of telephony, lady operators were replaced by
mechanical exchanges. And nowadays, so-called digital exchanges are in use.
The following simplified example demonstrates the basic steps of a call set-up:

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1.

Subscriber A wants to make a phone call. He lifts the receiver. An electromagnetical signal is sent to exchange 1, to which the wireline phone is
connected. The electro-magnetical signal indicates to exchange 1, that the
subscriber requires a service.

2.

The exchange generates a dial tone, with which it indicates its availability
to subscriber A.

3.

Subscriber A is dialling the telephone number of subscriber B. The

number is forwarded to exchange 1.

4.

Exchange 1 is performing a number analysis. Based on the number

analysis, the exchange can decide, how to serve subscriber A. If the
subscriber is requesting a service, which he is not allowed to use, the
service is not made available. For instance, if the subscriber has not paid
the telephone bill, the operator can restrict the offered services to
emergency services.
Based on the number analysis, the exchange can decide, whether it can
serve the call locally, or whether the call has to be established via other
exchanges. This is the case in our example. Based on routing tables set by
the operator, exchange 1 is reserving transmission resources to exchange
2.

5.

Then exchange 1 is transmitting a signalling message to exchange 2. The

message holds among other things the dial number and information about
the resources, which have be reserved on exchange 1s side.

6.

Also exchange 2 is performing a number analysis. In our example, the

called subscribers telephone is connected to exchange 2. Exchange 2
seizes the trunk, and thus a bearer between exchange 1 and 2 is
established.

7.

Exchange 2 is now transmitting a set-up message to telephone B.

8.

Telephone B confirms the service request.

9.

Then, it starts to ring.

10.

It also sends an alert message to exchange B, which tells the exchange,

that the telephone is calling the called subscriber.

11.

Exchange 2 is then informing exchange 1 about the successful link

establishment.

12.

Exchange 2 is generating a ringing tone. Subscriber A hears the ringing

tone, which informs him, that a connection was established to subscriber
Bs telephone, and that telephone B is ringing.

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13.

Subscriber B picks up his telephone. Telephone B sends a corresponding

signalling message to exchange 2

14.

Exchange 2 terminates the tone generation. It then informs exchange 1

about the on-going call.

15.

Now, a speech call can take place between telephone A and B.

subscriber A /
telephone A

exchange 1

subscriber B /
Telephone B

exchange 2

1. service request
2. dial tone
3. provide telephone number
4. number analysis &
resource reservation
5. address information
6. number analysis &
resource reservation
7. set-up message
8. set-up confirmation
9. ringing
11. address complete
message
12. ringing tone
14. connect message

10. alert message

13. connect message

15. Conversation

Figure 2.

Signalling operations

Telephones and switches are exchanging messages about the ongoing call. For
instance, between exchange 1 and 2, there exist transmission resources. They
exchange messages to inform each other, which of the available transmission
resources to allocate to a specific call. They also have to inform each other
about abnormal endings of calls. If not, one exchange would release the
transmission resources, while the other one is still blocking them. This already
indicates the importance to exchange messages between network elements of a
telecommunication network. These messages are called signalling and control
messages.
A wide range of signalling systems exist. A signalling system represents a
specified set of rules on how network elements have to exchange signalling and
control information. Each signalling system must support messages for

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Call set-up,

Call supervision,

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Call termination, and

Abnormal situation handling.

In Europe, the signalling system European Digital Subscriber Signalling System

No. 1 (E-DSS1) is often used between exchanges and telephones. Between
exchanges, the Common Channel Signalling System No. 7 (CCS#7, CS#7,
SS#7, SS7) is nowadays the most common one. It was also adopted for GSM.

Implementation and evolution

As mentioned in the previous section, signalling in telecommunication systems
is basically a set of messages used for setting up, supervising and clearing the
call.
Many different factors have led to a variety of signalling systems being
developed in telecommunications networks.
Different signalling standards were developed in different parts of the world.
They were all doing the same task, but in a different way. This would obviously
mean that when a call originates in one network with one type of signalling
implementation and terminates in another network with another type of
signalling system, some compromise, or adaptation would have to be used. Due
to these kind of differences the then international governing body for
telecommunications, CCITT (now ITU), recommended the Channel
Associated Signalling System (CAS) as the standard. In CAS, signalling
messages and user data/speech are transmitted on the same transmission
resource.

2.1

Drawbacks of the CAS system

As a signalling system for setting up calls CAS was a very good system that
performed quite well. A large number of telephone exchanges in the world are
still using this system, but its implementation is such, that it is only suitable for
cases where traffic is low. Another problem with CAS is that it is not possible to
send signalling messages in the absence of a call. This causes bottlenecks and
wastes bandwidth.

2.2

Common Channel Signalling (CCS)

The CCITT (now the ITU) came up with a new recommendation for a
signalling system, which was the Common Channel Signalling System Number
7. One of the main advantages of this system was that signalling did not have to

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go along the same path as the speech. It is abbreviated CCS7, CCS#7, SS7 or
simply C7, but they all refer to the same system.
SS7 was developed in the beginning of the 1980s and is a Common Channel
Signalling system (CCS) with a signalling path bandwidth of 64 Kbits/s. The
term Common Channel Signalling indicates, that signalling information and
user data are transmitted via separate resources. Signalling messages are
transmitted via transmission resources, which are used for several hundreds up
to thousand calls. This is possible for three reasons: SS7 is packet orientated,
i.e. signalling messages are sent as packets similar to IP packets in the Internet.
The signalling load is low in comparison to the user data traffic. And there is
mainly need for signalling resources during the call set-up and call termination
phase. To use common resources results in a fairly high resource efficiency of
the signalling resources.
End points of SS7 signalling messages are exchanges, such as the MSC, but
also register elements, such as the HLR. Within SS7, the originator and the
receiver of SS7 signalling messages are called Signalling Points (SP). It
depends on the operator, whether Service Points can directly exchange SS7
messages. Often, the routing of SS7 messages is done via Signalling Transfer
Points (STP). A Signalling Transfer Point receives SS7 messages, analyses the
destination address of the SS7 message, then forwards the message, following
rules set by the operator in the routing tables of the Signalling Transfer Point.
A simple example can be seen in the figure below: There are three exchanges.
Each exchange holds a SS7 Signalling Point. The blue lines represent the
transmission resources, while the green lines represent the independent packet
oriented SS7 network. Exchange 1 can directly sent SS7 messages to exchange
2. If the signalling link between the two exchanges fails, then there is still an
option to route the messages via the Signalling Transfer Point. Exchange 1 has
no direct signalling link to the Signalling Point of exchange 3. In this case, the
signalling messages must be always routed via the Signalling Transfer Point.

SS7
exchange 3

Independent,
packet
oriented
signalling
network

SP

STP

SP

SP

exchange 1
SP
STP

Figure 3.

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exchange 1

Signalling Point
Signalling Transfer Point

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

It is modular in design, although the modules are not as clearly defined, as is the
case with the OSI 7-layer model, which it pre-dates. Let us take a closer look at
this system in the following sections.

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Common Channel Signalling System

No. 7
Originally, the Common Channel Signalling System No. 7 (hereafter referred to
as SS7) consisted of two parts. The first part was responsible for transferring the
message within a signalling network. The second part was the user of these
messages.
As an analogy we can compare it to two managers with their own message
runners. One manager writes a message, puts it in the envelope and gives it to
the messenger. The messenger in turn looks at the address on the envelope, and
gives it to the messenger of the other manager. The messenger of the receiving
manager looks at the address and gives it to his manager, who will then read and
act as necessary.

Figure 4.

Message bearers taking the message to their managers

The initial phase of SS7 consisted of two parts:

3.1

Message Transfer Part - MTP (responsible for transferring messages)

Telephone User Part - TUP (user of messages).

Message Transfer Part (MTP)

We have so far established that signalling is used for setting up calls, and that
there are standard sets of messages, which are sent back and forth to help
facilitate this. The part responsible for taking these messages from one network
element to another network element is known as the Message Transfer Part

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

(MTP). The entire SS7 is built on the foundation of this MTP, which consists of
three sub layers as shown in the figure below.

Message
Transfer
Part (MTP)

Figure 5.

Layer 3

Signalling Message Handling

Layer 2

Data Link Control

Layer 1

Physical Connections

Message Transfer Part layers

The lowest level, MTP layer 1 (physical connections), defines the physical
and electrical characteristics. MTP layer 2 (data link control) helps in error
free transmission of the signalling messages between adjacent elements. MTP
layer 3 (network layer) is responsible for taking the message from any element
in a signalling network to any other element within the same network.

Telephone User Part (TUP)

The previous section explained the MTP. But who is the user who receives,
sends and acts on these messages? The answer is the Telephone User Part
(TUP). Those standard sets of messages that were mentioned previously are the
standard TUP messages that help to set up the call, to supervise and clear it.
For many the SS7 in the fixed telephone network consisted of only two parts,
the MTP and the TUP. The CCITT (now the ITU) allowed for variations in
messages within one country alone. These variations were called the National
User Part (NUP).

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MSC
SP

PSTN exchange
SP

TUP

TUP

Call Control
messages

NUP

NUP

ISUP

ISUP
Transport of signalling
messages within one network

Layer 2
Layer 1

Data link
control
Physical
connections

Layer 2 Layer 2
Layer 1 Layer 1

Layer 3
Data link
control
Physical
connections

Layer 2

MTP

MTP

Layer 3

Layer 1

STP

Figure 6.

Protocol stack of MTP and TUP/NUP/ISUP

With the introduction of the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), which
has a broader capability than the PSTN, some extra sets of messages were
required. These became known as the ISDN User Part (ISUP). Whether it is
TUP, NUP or ISUP they are all doing the same job in helping to set up a call.

3.3

Signalling Connection and Control Part (SCCP)

The structure of SS7 with TUP/NUP/ISUP on top of the MTP was quite
satisfactory for speech call handling. However, with the passing of time and the
development of newer and more advanced technology, signalling requirements
also started to become more stringent and demanding.
It was realised that the TUP/MTP combination alone was not sufficient when
"virtual connections" became necessary. The MTP guarantees the transfer of
messages from any "signalling point" in the signalling network to any other
"signalling point", safely and reliably. However, each message could reach the
destination signalling point by using different paths. This may cause situations
where the order of messages that are received, are different from the original
sequence. When this order is important, there is need for establishing a "virtual
connection".

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Virtual connections use a "connection oriented" protocol that provides sequence

numbers to enable the messages to be placed in the correct order at the distant
end.
Another instance of when the TUP/MTP structure is inefficient is when a
signalling message has to be sent across multiple networks in the absence of a
call. The MTP is capable of routing a message within one network only. The
case of setting up a call across multiple networks is not the same as signalling
across the same network. The signalling goes leg by leg according to the call.
But in the absence of a call, the MTP cannot route a signalling message across
multiple networks.

Virtual
Connection using
Connection Oriented
SCCP

A
MTP
Signalling
Point
Signalling
Point
Signalling
Point

Figure 7.

MTP

MTP

B
Destination
Signalling
Point

Virtual connections

The solution to these two problems was the creation of another protocol layer
on top of the MTP that was called the Signalling Connection and Control
Part (SCCP). The SCCP takes care of virtual connections and connectionless
signalling. Note that the tasks of TUP and SCCP are different, and thus they are
parallel to each other, but both use the services of the MTP.

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Exchange
SP

Call Control
messages

e.g. ISUP

e.g. ISUP

SCCP

Signalling Connection &

Control Part

Layer 3

Transport of signalling
messages within one network

Layer 2
Layer 1

Data link
control
Physical
connections

Layer 2 Layer 2
Layer 1 Layer 1

SCCP

Layer 3
Data link
control
Physical
connections

Layer 2

MTP

MTP

Exchange
SP

Offers following services to higher layers:

non-call related signalling via networks of
different operators
connection-orientated network service

Layer 1

STP

Figure 8.

Location of the SCCP

As far as the fixed telephone network (the Public Switched Telephone Network,
PSTN) is concerned, this is all there is to SS7 and these protocol layers serve
their purpose very well. At the moment there is no other protocol in SS7 for
PSTN exchanges.

3.4

Summary
The MTP is the message transfer part. It is responsible for transferring
messages from one network element to another within the same network. It
consists of three sublayers.
The TUP is the user part of the messages transferred by the MTP. These
messages deal with setting up, supervising and clearing the call connections. It
has two variations: NUP and ISUP.
The SCCP is the signalling connection and control part. Its main function is to
provide virtual connections and connectionless signalling.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Additional SS7 protocols in GSM

networks
In GSM networks, signalling is not as simple as in the PSTN. There are extra
signalling requirements in GSM due to the different architecture of the network
that requires a large amount of non-call-related signalling. In the first instance
the subscriber is mobile, unlike the PSTN telephone, which is always in one
place. Therefore, a continuous tracking of the mobile station is required, which
results in what is known as the location update procedure. This procedure is an
example of non-call-related signalling, where the mobile phone and the network
are communicating, but no call is taking place. This requires additional sets of
standard messages to fulfil the signalling requirements of GSM networks.
These additional protocol layers are:

Base Station Subsystem Application Part (BSSAP)

Mobile Application Part (MAP)

Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP).

Base Station Subsystem Application Part (BSSAP)

The first of these additional protocol layers is the Base Station Subsystem
Application Part (BSSAP). This layer is used when an MSC communicates with
the BSC and the mobile station. Since the mobile station and the MSC have to
communicate via the BSC, there must be a virtual connection; therefore the
service of the SCCP is also needed.
The authentication verification procedure and assigning a new TMSI all take
place with the standard sets of messages of the BSSAP. Communication
between the MSC and the BSC also uses the BSSAP protocol layer. Therefore,
the BSSAP serves two purposes:

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MSC-BSC signalling

MSC-MS signalling.

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Used to
exchange requests and responses between
BSC and MSC
encapsulate messages to be exchanged
transparently between MS and MSC

BSC

BSSAP

SCCP

Layer 2
Layer 1

Signalling Connection &

Control Part
Transport of signalling
messages within one network
Data link
control
Physical
connections

BSSAP

SCCP

Layer 3
Layer 2

MTP

MTP

Layer 3

Control
messages

MSC

Layer 1

BSSAPBase Station SubsystemApplication part

Figure 9.

4.2

Location of the BSSAP in SS7

Mobile Application Part

The example of a location update procedure mentioned previously is not
confined only to the MSC-BSC section, it spans multiple PLMNs. In case of a
first time location update by an international roaming subscriber (where he is
not in his home network), the VLR has to get the data from the subscribers
HLR via the gateway MSC of the subscribers home network.
While a mobile terminated call is being handled, the MSRN has to be requested
from the HLR without routing the call to the HLR. Therefore, for these cases
another protocol layer was added to the SS7 called the Mobile Application
Part (MAP). MAP is used for signalling communication between NSS
elements.
Note
The MSC-MSC communication using MAP is used only in case of non-callrelated signalling. For routing a call from one MSC to another MSC, TUP or
ISUP is still used.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP)

In MAP signalling, one MSC sends a message to an HLR, and that message
requests (or invokes) a certain result. The HLR sends the result back, which
may be the final result, or some other messages might also follow (or it might
not be the last result). These invocations and results that are sent back and forth
between multiple elements using MAP need some sort of secretary to manage
the transactions. This secretary is called the Transaction Capabilities
Application Part (TCAP). This completes the SS7 protocol stack in the GSM
network and its functions.
The SS7 picture is now complete.

Secretary function for higher layer, e.g.

when the higher layer transaction
consists of a set of messages, which
have to be exchanged between the
peer entities in an orderly way.

GMSC

Mobile
Application Part

MAP

TCAP

Transaction Capabilities
Application Part

TCAP

Layer 2
Layer 1

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Signalling Connection &

Control Part
Transport of signalling
messages within one network
Data link
control
Physical
connections

SCCP
Layer 3
Layer 2

MTP

MTP

Layer 3

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HLR

MAP

SCCP

Figure 10.

Non-call-related requests and

responses, e.g. GMSC interrogation
for the MSRN.

Layer 1

MAP and TCAP

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4.4

Summary

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Protocol

Name

Function

MTP

Message Transfer Part

Responsible for transferring an SS7 message

from one network element to another within
the same signalling network.

TUP

Telephone User Part

NUP

National User Part

ISUP

ISDN User Part

User parts of MTP. They send, receive,

analyse and act on the messages delivered
by the MTP. All of these are Call Control
Messages that help in setting up, supervising
and clearing a call.

SCCP

Signalling Connection and

Control Part

Protocol layer responsible for making virtual

connections and making connectionless
signalling across multiple signalling networks.

BSSAP

Base Station Subsystem

Application Part

Protocol layer responsible for communicating

GSM specific messages between the MSC
and the BSC, and the MSC and the MS.

MAP

Mobile Application Part

A GSM specific protocol for non-call-related

applications between NSS elements.

TCAP

Transaction Capabilities
Application Part

Protocol layer responsible for providing

service to MAP by handling the MAP
transaction messages between multiple
elements.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

SS7 layers in GSM elements

In this section, the SS7 requirements for individual GSM elements will be
shown. The previous sections explained why SS7 was needed in GSM and what
protocol layers are used. It is useful to note that not all the GSM elements have
all the protocols in the SS7 stack. For example, a BSC would never need TUP
because call control is not the task of the BSC.

Protocol stack in the MSC

Since the MTP is the foundation on which SS7 is built, this will be required in
every element that is capable of processing SS7. Because the MSC is the
element in GSM networks that is responsible for call control, TUP/ISUP sits on
top of the MTP. The MSC/VLR is also responsible for location updates and
communication with the BSC and the HLR. For this reason it also needs to have
BSSAP and MAP that sit on top of the SCCP. The MSC also has the TCAP to
provide services for the MAP. It can thus be seen that the MSC/VLR has all the
SS7 protocol stacks implemented in it.

MAP

BSSAP

TCAP

SCCP

TUP
NUP
ISUP

MTP

Figure 11.

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Protocol stack in the MSC

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5.2

Protocol stack in the HLR, VLR, and EIR

The registers are not responsible for call control. Therefore, the TUP/ISUP is
not necessary. In addition, the registers do not communicate directly with the
BSC and so the BSSAP is not needed either, which leaves the MTP, SCCP,
TCAP and MAP as the signalling protocols in the HLR, VLR, and EIR.

5.3

Protocol stack in the BSC

The BSC only needs the BSSAP, but since the BSSAP needs the services of the
SCCP, which in turn needs the MTP, the BSC contains the MTP, the SCCP and
the BSSAP.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Other signalling protocols in GSM

As we have already seen, the GSM core network elements use SS7 (Signalling
System No. 7) to pass signalling messages between them.

MSC

MS
BTS

CM

BSC

HLR

CM
MAP

MM

MM

RR

BSSAPP

BSSAP

RR

TCAP

LAPDm
TDMA
FDMA
CM
MM
RR
LAPDm

Figure 12.

Um

RR

BTSM

BTSM

LAPDm

LAPD

LAPD
MTP

Abis
TDMA
FDMA

L1

Connection Management
Mobility Management
Radio Resource Management
Link Protocol

SCCP

SCCP

MTP

L1
BTSM
BSSAP
SCCP
MTP

TUP
NUP
ISUS

external
exchange

Base Transceiver Station Management

BSS Application Part
Signalling Connection Control Part
Message Transfer Part

Signalling in GSM

Between the BSC and the BTS, a signalling protocol known as LAPD (Link
Access Protocol for the ISDN "D" channel) is used. This is the same protocol
that is used in ISDN networks between the customer and the network. This
protocol is also used the exchange requests and responses between the BSC and
the TRAU.
Between the mobile station and the BTS, the LAPD is used with small
modifications to cope with the characteristics of the radio transmission medium.
This protocol is known as LAPDm where the "m" denotes modified.
The LAP-D message structure is similar to SS7, but it does not support
networking capabilities, therefore, it is used for point-to-point connections.
As can be seen with the figure above, a signalling protocol is required to
negotiate to radio resources to be used for dedicated signalling and user data
transport. The protocol is called Radio Resource (RR) management protocol,
and its messages are exchanged between the MS and the BSC via LAPDm and
LAPD. RR in the above figure indicates, that some radio resource management

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tasks can be directly performed between the MS and the BTS.

The BTS determines, which radio interface resources are allocated to the MS
for dedicated traffic. But also the BTS must be informed about it. This is one
cause for the existence of the BTSM (BTS Management) protocol.
What about mobility management? Mobility Management (MM) comprises
tasks such as location update and authentication. These are messages that are
exchanged directly between the MS and the MSC/VLR. As can be seen above,
there are other network elements in the transmission path of the mobility
management messages, such as the BTS and the BSC. But these network
elements transparently transmit the higher layer mobility management
messages. Similar to the STP in SS7, they take the signalling message, and
forward it to the next entity. The MS and the MSC/VLR are the so-called peer
entities of mobility management messages.
The same is true for Connection Management (CM) messages. Connection
management includes call set-up messages, alerting message, etc., i.e. messages
necessary for call control. Also SMS and supplementary services are managed
with the help of the connection management.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Summary and Key Points

The following table highlights the function of the SS7 protocol in every GSM
network element capable of processing SS7.

MSC

BSC

HLR

MTP

Transfer of SS7 messages

between different network
elements.

Transfer of SS7
messages between
different network
elements.

Transfer of SS7
messages between
different network
elements.

TUP/ISUP

Setting up, supervising, and

clearing call connections.

Unavailable.

Unavailable.

SCCP

Connectionless signalling
and virtual connections.

Virtual connection
between MSC and MS.

Connectionless
signalling.

BSSAP

GSM signalling with BSC

and MS.

GSM signalling with

MSC.

Unavailable.

MAP

GSM specific signalling with

HLR and other MSC.

Unavailable.

GSM specific signalling

with MSCs and other
HLRs.

TCAP

Service provider to MAP.

Unavailable.

Service provider to MAP.

A virtual connection uses packet type switching principles and the connection
only exists when packets or messages are being transferred. In the simplest form
of packet switching each packet is regarded as a complete transaction in itself.
This is known as the connectionless mode as there is no sense of a connection
being set up before communication begins, and the network treats each packet
independently. Some applications, however, involve the transfer of a sequence
of packets, for which the connection-oriented approach is more appropriate.
In this case, a virtual connection is established by an initial exchange of "set-up"
packets between the communicating terminals. During the data transfer, each
packet associated with a connection is passed over the same route through the
network.
Key points

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Signalling is the transfer of information between subscriber interface

points and the network, and between different network elements to help
establish a call.

Signalling information is interchanged as standard sets of messages that

was developed and standardised into the present SS7 system.

GSM networks need non-call related signalling, which is possible with

SS7.

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Review questions

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The SS7 used in PSTN networks is not sufficient to fulfil the signalling
requirements of GSM networks, thus new protocols specific to GSM
were developed.

The MTP is the basis of SS7, and it is responsible for transferring

signalling messages from one element to another within the same
signalling network.

The TUP/ISUP are the user parts of the MTP that handle call control.

The SCCP is needed for virtual connections and connectionless

signalling.

The BSSAP is used for signalling between MSC-BSC and MSC-MS.

The MAP is needed for signalling between MSC-HLR, MSC-VLR, HLRVLR (and MSC-MSC in the case of non-call related signalling).

The Link Access Protocol in D channel (LAP-D) provides a point-topoint signalling capability. It is used between the BTS and BSC, and in a
modified version between the MS and the BTS (LAP-Dm).

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

Review questions
In the following questions, please select one alternative that you think is the
best answer for the particular question.
1.

2.

3.

4.

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Which of the following is not a signalling function?

a.

To analyse the dialled digits.

b.

To digitise the user's speech before transmission.

c.

To make speech path connections.

d.

To inform the user of the progress of the call.

Which of the following was a drawback of CAS signalling?

a.

It supported only call related signalling.

b.

It required one signalling channel for every PCM line.

c.

It was not possible to have many different signalling messages.

d.

All of the above.

Which of the following are advantages of SS7 over CAS signalling?

a.

It can send call set-up messages.

b.

One signalling channel can support 10 000 traffic channels.

c.

It can support non-call-related signalling.

d.

All of the above.

Which of the following is not a need for SS7 signalling?

a.

The need to supervise a call.

b.

The need to make circuit reservations.

c.

The need to clear connections when the call is over.

d.

The need to transfer charging information.

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Review questions

5.

6.

7.

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Which of the following signalling requirements is specific to GSM

networks only?
a.

The ability to reserve circuits in the outgoing direction.

b.

The ability of one signalling channel to handle calls in other

physically different cables.

c.

The ability to transport service dependent messages across

switching exchanges.

d.

The ability to perform non-call-related signalling procedures.

Which of the following combinations of SS7 protocols is not present in

PSTN exchanges?
a.

MTP, SCCP.

b.

MTP, ISUP.

c.

MTP, TUP.

d.

MTP, SCCP, TCAP, MAP.

Which pair of network elements in the GSM network does not both have
SS7?
a.

MSC, HLR.

b.

BSC, HLR.

c.

MSC, BSC.

d.

BTS, HLR.

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Introduction to SS7 Signalling

8.

Which of the following pictures is correct?

a.
MAP

ISUP

BSSAP

TCAP

SCCP

MTP

b.
MAP

BSSAP

SCCP

TCAP

TUP
NUP
ISUP

MTP

c.
MAP

BSSAP

TCAP

SCCP

TUP
NUP
ISUP

MTP

d.
BSSAP

MAP

TCAP

TUP
NUP
ISUP

SCCP

MTP

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