University of Human Development

College of Computer Sciences & Information Technology

Department of Information Technology

SS7 telecommunication in Kurdistan

By
Hanar Ahmed Star

Supervised by
Mokhtar Mohammadi

June 2020
Table of Contents

LIST OF FIGURES..........................................................................................................................
1. Introductionand .......................................................................................................................
2. telicomunication in kurdistan and SS7 ....................................................................................
3. SS7 architecture........................................................................................................................
4. SS7 protocol layers .................................................................................................................
5. Uses os SS7……………………………………………………………………………………
6. Conclusion

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 ...........................................................................................................................................
Figure 2 ...........................................................................................................................................
1. Introduction

In Kurdistan there are 3 telecommunication companies that uses SS7.

AsiaCell is a leading provider of quality mobile telecommunications services in Iraq,
With more than 10 million subscribers. In 2009, AsiaCell became the first mobile
telecommunications provider in Iraq and Kurdistan to achieve nationwide coverage,
Offering its services across all of Iraq’s 18 governorates.
The company traces its origins to the establishment of AsiaCell Company for
telecommunications-Iraq limited in Iraqi Kurdistan in 1999.

Signaling System 7 (it is simply called SS7) is architecture for performing out-of-band
signaling in support of the call-establishment, billing, routing and information-exchange
functions of the public switched telephone network (PSTN) or public land mobile
network (PLMN). It identifies functions to be performed by a signaling-system network
and a protocol to enable their performance.
Switched telephone network (PSTN) or public land mobile network (PLMN). It identifies
functions to be performed by a signaling-system network and a protocol to enable their
performance.
Ss7, was originally designed to support PSTN (public switched telephone network)
In:

 Call setup
 Call management
 Call release

Between telephone offices and CPE (customer premises equipment) to simply transport
voice traffic. In the original SS7, the “in-band” signaling mechanism was used. It means
that the signaling information and the user data (e.g voice) are carried out in the same
channel.

A network utilizing common-channel signaling is actually two networks in one:

   1. First there is the circuit-switched "user" network which actually carries the user voice
and data traffic. It provides a physical path between the source and destination.
    2. The second is the signaling network which carries the call control traffic. It is a
packet-switched network using a common channel switching protocol.

2. SS7 architecture

Figure 1

The original common channel interoffice signaling protocols were based on Signaling
Figure 1
System Number 6 (SS#6). Today SS#7 is being used in new installations worldwide.
SS#7 is the defined interoffice signaling protocol for ISDN. It is also in common use
today outside of the ISDN environment.

The primary function of SS#7 is to provide call control, remote network management,
and maintenance capabilities for the inter- office telephone network. SS#7 performs these
functions by exchanging control messages between SS#7 telephone exchanges (signalling
points or SPs) and SS#7 signaling transfer points (STPs).

The switching offices (SPs) handle the SS#7 control network as well as the user circuit-
switched network. Basically, the SS#7 control network tells the switching office which
paths to establish over the circuit-switched network. The STPs route SS#7 control
packets across the signaling network. A switching office may or may not be an STP.
3. SS7 Protocol Layers

Figure 2

The SS7 network is an interconnected set of network elements that is used to exchange
messages in support of telecommunications functions. The SS7 protocol is designed to
both facilitate these functions and to maintain the network over which they are provided.
Like most modern protocols, the SS7 protocol is layered.

Physical Layer (MTP-1)

This defines the physical and electrical characteristics of the signaling links of the SS7
network. Signaling links utilize DS–0 channels and carry raw signaling data at a rate of
56 kbps or 64 kbps (56 kbps is the more common implementation).
Message Transfer Part—Level 2 (MTP-2)

The level 2 portion of the message transfer part (MTP Level 2) provides link-layer
functionality. It ensures that the two end points of a signaling link can reliably exchange
signaling messages. It incorporates such capabilities as error checking, flow control, and
sequence checking.

Message Transfer Part—Level 3 (MTP-3)

The level 3 portion of the message transfer part (MTP Level 3) extends the functionality
provided by MTP level 2 to provide network layer functionality. It ensures that messages
can be delivered between signaling points across the SS7 network regardless of whether
they are directly connected. It includes such capabilities as node addressing, routing,
alternate routing, and congestion control.

Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)

The signaling connection control part (SCCP) provides two major functions that are
lacking in the MTP. The first of these is the capability to address applications within a
signaling point. The MTP can only receive and deliver messages from a node as a whole;
it does not deal with software applications within a node.

While MTP network-management messages and basic call-setup messages are addressed
to a node as a whole, other messages are used by separate applications (referred to as
subsystems) within a node. Examples of subsystems are 800 call processing, calling-card
processing, advanced intelligent network (AIN), and custom local-area signaling services
(CLASS) services (e.g., repeat dialing and call return). The SCCP allows these
subsystems to be addressed explicitly.

ISDN User Part (ISUP)

ISUP user part defines the messages and protocol used in the establishment and tear
down of voice and data calls over the public switched network (PSN), and to manage the
trunk network on which they rely. Despite its name, ISUP is used for both ISDN and
non–ISDN calls. In the North American version of SS7, ISUP messages rely exclusively
on MTP to transport messages between concerned nodes.

Transaction Capabilities Application Part (TCAP)

TCAP defines the messages and protocol used to communicate between applications
(deployed as subsystems) in nodes. It is used for database services such as calling card,
800, and AIN as well as switch-to-switch services including repeat dialing and call
return. Because TCAP messages must be delivered to individual applications within the
nodes they address, they use the SCCP for transport.

Operations, Maintenance, and Administration Part (OMAP)

OMAP defines messages and protocol designed to assist administrators of the SS7
network. To date, the most fully developed and deployed of these capabilities are
procedures for validating network routing tables and for diagnosing link troubles. OMAP
includes messages that use both the MTP and SCCP for routing.

 Read more on the individual SS7 protocol layers:  MTP  --  SCCP  --  ISUP  --

TCAP  --  MAP  --  INAP         
4. Benefits of SS7

The SS7 network and protocol are used for:

 Basic call setup, management, and tear down
 conversion of telephone numbers (eg, toll free – free number is converted to a
regular subscriber number PSTN)
 Wireless services such as personal communications services (PCS), wireless
roaming, and mobile subscriber authentication
 Local number portability (LNP)
 Toll-free (800/888) and toll (900) wireline services
 enhanced call features such as call forwarding, calling party name/number display,
and three-way calling
 Efficient and secure worldwide telecommunications.

5. Conclusion

Signaling System 7, a telecommunications protocol defined by the International

Telecommunication Union (ITU) as a way to offload PSTN data traffic congestion onto a
wireless or wireline digital broadband network.
SS7 is characterized by high-speed circuit switching and out-of-band signaling using
Service Switching (SSPs), Signal Transfer Points (STPs), and Service Control Points
(SCPs) (collectively referred to as signaling points, or SS7 nodes). Out-of-band signaling
is signaling that does not take place over the same path as the data transfer (or
conversation)--a separate digital channels created (called a signaling link), where
messages are exchanged between network elements at 56 or 64 kilobit per second.
SS7 architecture is set up in a way so that any node could exchange signaling with any
other SS7-capable node, not just signaling between switches that are directly connected.

References

 https://telecomchamp.blogspot.com/2018/

 https://marcopolis.net/telecommunication-companies-in-iraq-a-kurdistan-telecom-list.htm

 https://www.terratel.eu/advantages-of-ss7.html

 https://www.slideshare.net/denys.pozniak/signaling-system-7-ss7-14751249