Chapter 9

Common Channel Signaling No. 7

(CCS7)
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1 Common Channel Signaling
In CCS, a Common Signaling Link (SL) carries
Signaling Messages for a number of trunks.
CCS was developed for the third-generation
SPC exchanges that were introduced in the
1960s such as 4ESS, 5ESS, and DMS-100.
First-generation CCS was introduced in the
1970s.
Signaling System No. 7 (SS7) also known
CCS7 specified by ITU-T in 1980s.
It is widely in service in the International and
National Networks.
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Fully disassociated channel signaling

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 2 Signaling System No. 7
SS7 is a CCS system that defines
the Procedures and Protocol by
which Network Elements (Signaling
Points) in the PSTN Exchange
Information over a Digital Signaling
Network to facilitate Wired and
Wireless (Cellular) Call Setup,
Routing and Control.
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The SS7 Network and Protocol are used for:
1. Basic call setup, management, and tear down.
2. Wireless services such as wireless roaming
and mobile subscriber authentication.
3. Toll free (800/888) and toll (900) wireline
service.
4. Enhanced call features such as call forwarding,
calling party name/number display, and three-
way calling.

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In an SS7 Network, Control Messages
(Packets) are routed through the network
to perform:
1. Call management (setup, maintenance,
and termination) and,
2. Network management functions.
Therefore, the CCS7 network is a packet-
switched network, that is been controlled
by circuit-switched network.
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 2.1 Signaling Network
Telecommunication networks that
employ CCS require, in addition to the
network of Trunks and Exchanges, a
Signaling Network.
This network consists of Signaling
Points (SPs), interconnected by
Signaling Links (SLs).
SP: is an entity in the network to which
CCS links are attached.
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SS7 sample network

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For example, an exchange that serves CCS
Trunk Groups has CCS links and is
therefore a SP.
Likewise, a Network Database that is
accessed via CCS links is a SP.
SL: is a bidirectional 56 kbps or 64 kbps
transport facility for CCS messages
between two SPs.
A Signaling Relation exists between any
pair of SPs that need to communicate by
CCS.
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For example, when two exchanges, say, A
and B, are interconnected by a group of
CCS trunks, there is a signaling relation
between these SPs.
Signaling Route: is a predetermined path
for the CCS Messages of a particular
relation.
Usually, there is a Signaling Route Set,
consisting of several routes, for each
signaling relation.
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 3 Signaling Points
An SS7 Network is comprised of Network
Elements (NEs) connected together using
Signaling Links (SLs).
Such a NE that is capable of handling SS7
Control Messages is called a SP.
All SPs in an SS7 Network are identified
by a unique address known as a point
code that defines the Signaling Relation.

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In SS7 Messaging, both the origination
point code and the destination point
code are provided.
There are three different basic types of
Network Elements (Signaling Points):
1. Service Switching Point (SSP).
2. Signal Transfer Point (STP).
3. Service Control Point (SCP).
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SSP STP STP

SSP STP STP

Service Switching Signal Transfer Service Control
Point Point Point

Signaling Network Elements

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 3.1 Service Switching Point
(SSP)
SSP is the Brain of the SS7 Network and
is located in the Switch.
The SSP is the Local Exchange in the
Telephone Network.
An SSP can be:
1. The combination of a Voice Switch and
an SS7 Switch.
2. Or an Adjunct Computer connected to a
Voice Switch.
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The SSP must convert Signaling from
the Voice Switch into SS7 Signaling
Messages, which then can be sent to
other Switches in the Network.
The Switch typically will send
Messages related to its Voice Circuits
to the Switches with a direct Voice
Trunk connection to it.
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In the case of Database Access, the
SSP will send Database Queries
through the SS7 Network to Computer
Systems located Centrally to the
Network (or Regionally).
The SSP function uses the information
provided by the Calling Party (such as
Dialed Digits) to determine how to
connect a call.
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A Routing Table in the Switch itself
will identify which Trunk Circuit to
use to connect the call and at which
Switch this Trunk terminates.
An SS7 Message must be sent to this
adjacent Switch requesting a Circuit
Connection on the specified Trunk.

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This SS7 Message contain:
1. The calling and called telephone
numbers,
2. The Information about the type of
decoding used in the voice transmission,
3. Type of the call.
The adjacent Switch Grants
Permission to connect this Trunk by
sending back an Acknowledgment to
the Originating Switch.
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Using the Called Party Information in
the Setup Message, the adjacent
Switch then can determine how to
connect the call to its final destination.
The same process is followed using a
Setup Message to any adjacent
Switches and Circuits connecting those
Switches.
The entire call may require several
connections between several Switches.
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The SSP function in each Switch,
manages these connections but really
has no knowledge of the status of
remote connections (nonadjacent
connections).
The SSP only has visibility of its own
connections and does not maintain the
status of all the connections needed to
connect and maintain a call.
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 3.2 Signal Transfer Point (STP)
All SS7 Packets travel from one SSP to
another through the services of an STP.
The STP serves as a Router in the SS7
Network.
To maintain redundancy and diversity in
the network, STPs are always deployed in
pairs.
Should one STP node fail, the other node
assumes all the traffic.
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Both STPs in a pair, process traffic using
Load Sharing.
An STP does not originate Messages.
The STP only processes the Transport
Layers (Message Transfer Part (MTP) or
TCP/IP-based protocols).
The STP Routes SS7 Messages as received
from the various SSPs throughout the
Network to their appropriate destinations.
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The STP can be an Adjunct to a Voice
Switch or a Standalone Packet Switch.
Many Tandem Switches provide both
Switching Functions and STP
Functions (through the use of an adjunct
computer).
Although several manufacturers provide
STP equipment, very few provide a
Standalone STP.
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Routing to Databases is another
important STP function.
For example, the SCP may support
calling cards, 800 routing, and
calling-name display.
Each of these services in the SCP
must have a Unique Address.
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The STP uses a function called Global
Title Translation (GTT) to determine
which Database will receive the Queries
generated by SSPs.
By using an STP and GTT, the SSPs
only need to know the Address of the
STP.
The SSP sends a Database Query to
the Local STP with the destination
address of the STP.
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The STP looks at the dialed digits in the
Signaling Connection Control Part (SCCP)
portion of the Message Signal Unit (MSU)
(or global title digits as they are often called)
and determines the address of the Database
through its own Translation Tables.
The GTT consists of the Subsystem
Number (Address) of the Database and the
Point Code of the SCP that interfaces with
the Database.
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 3.3 Service Control Point (SCP)
The SCP serves as an Interface to
Telephone Company Databases.
These Databases provide:
1. The storage of information about
subscribers services.
2. The routing of special service numbers
such as 800 and 900 numbers, and
calling-card validation.
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The SCP is actually a function of the
Computer used as a front end to the
Database application itself.
The SCP does not necessarily have to be a
Standalone Computer System.
Some New SCP Database applications are
being implemented in STPs, providing an
integrated solution.
In all cases, the Address of the SCP is a
Point Code, whereas the Address of the
Database is a Subsystem Number.
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Entities within the network, route to SCPs
using the SCCP protocol.
The SCP function does not necessarily store
all the data, but it is the interface to the
Mainframe or Minicomputer System that is
used for the actual Database.
These Computer Systems usually are linked
to the SCP through X.25 or IP links.
The SCP communicates with the Database
Application through the use of Primitives.
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Primitive: is an interface that provides
access from one level of the protocol to
another level.
In the case of the Database, the Database is
considered an application entity, and TCAP is
the Protocol used to access and interface
with this application entity.
The type of Database depends on the
network.
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The Databases used most commonly within
either of these networks are as follows:
1. Call Management Services Database
(CMSDB):
It includes certain network management
functions used to prevent congestion on the
network.
It also provides billing information.
2. Local Number Portability (LNP):
It enable subscribers to change telephone
companies without having to change their
telephone numbers.
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3. Line Information Database (LIDB):
provides information regarding
subscribers, such as calling-card service,
third-party billing instructions.
4. Calling Name (CNAM):
The users Personal Identification
Number (PIN) is stored in this Database
for comparison when a user places a
call.
This Database provides the name of the
calling party.
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5. Home Location Register (HLR): is
found in wireless networks and is
used to store information regarding
a wireless subscriber. Billing and
feature information is stored in this
database along with location
information.
6. Visitor Location Register (VLR): is
used for determining the location of
a wireless subscriber in real time.
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A Visitor Location Register (VLR) is a
Database that contains information about the
Subscribers Roaming within a Mobile
Switching Centers (MSC) Location Area.
The primary role of the VLR is to minimize the
number of queries that MSCs have to make to
the Home Location Register (HLR), which
holds permanent data regarding the cellular
networks subscribers.
Ideally, there should be only one visitor location
register per MSC, but it is also possible for a
single VLR to serve multiple MSCs.
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Each Database is given a unique
address called a Subsystem
Number.
The Subsystem Number is used
to Route queries from SSPs
through the SS7 Network to the
actual Database Entity.
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 4 Basic Signaling Architecture
Figure on the next slide shows a small
example of how basic Network Elements
(NE) of an SS7 Network are deployed to
form two Interconnected Networks.
The following points should be noted:
1. STPs W and X, perform identical
functions, they are redundant, and
referred to as mated pairs of STPs.
Similarly are Y and Z.
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SS7 sample network

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2. Each SSP has two links, one to each
STP of a mated pair. All SS7 Signaling
to the rest of the world is sent out over
these links. Messages sent over either
link will be treated equivalently.
3. The STPs of a mated pair are joined
by a link or set of links.

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4. Two mated pairs of STPs are
interconnected by four links which
are referred to as quad.
5. SCPs are usually (not always)
deployed in pairs which are referred
to as mated pair of SCPs. They are
not directly joined by a pair of links.

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 4 Signaling Links
All signaling points are
interconnected via signaling links.
These links are 56 or 64-kbps.
Links are Bidirectional, using transmit
and receive pairs for simultaneous
transmission in both directions.
Links always should be Terrestrial,
although Satellite Links are also
supported.
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Signaling Links (SL) are labeled
according to their relationship in the
network.
There is no technical difference between
the various Links.
They are only different in the way the links
are used during message transfer and
how network management interacts with
the links.
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 SS7 Link Types
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Links are placed into groups called
Linksets.
All the links in a linkset must have the
same adjacent node.
The Switching Equipment alternates
transmission across all the links in a
linkset to ensure equal use of all facilities.
A Signaling Point (SP) must define
Routes.
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A Route: is a collection of Linksets
used to reach a particular destination.
A Linkset can belong to more than one
route.
Routeset: is a collection of routes.
A Routeset provides alternate routes to
the same destination in the event that
any one route becomes unavailable.

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Six different types of links are used in SS7:
1. Access Links (A-Links):
Are used between the SSP and the STP or
the SCP and the STP.
These links provide access into the network
and to Databases through the STP.
The maximum number of A-links to any
one STP from SSP is 16, usually, one A-
link for 9600 subscribers served by SSP.
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 A-links connect end-signaling points to the SS7 network
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2. Bridge Links (B-Links):
Are deployed in a quad fashion and are
used to connect mated STPs to other
mated STPs at the same hierarchical
level.
A maximum of eight B-links can be
deployed between mated STPs.

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 B-links connect a mated pair of STPs to another mated pair of STPs
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 A typical SS7 network with multiple B-links and A-links
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3. Cross Links (C-Links):
Connect an STP to its mate STP.
They are always deployed in pairs to
maintain redundancy on the network.
Normal SS7 traffic is not routed over these
links, except in congestion conditions.
The only messages to travel between
mated STPs during normal conditions are
Network Management Messages.
A maximum of eight C-links can be
deployed between STP pairs.
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 C-links connect an STP to its mate STP, creating a mated pair
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4. Diagonal Links (D-Links):
Are used to connect mated STP pairs at
a Primary Hierarchical Level to another
STP mated pair at a Secondary
Hierarchical Level.
D-links are deployed in a quad
arrangement like B-links.
A maximum of eight D-links can be
used between two mated STP pairs.
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 D-links connect a mated pair of STPs to another mated pair of STPs
that are deployed on a higher level in the network hierarchy
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5. Extended Links (E-Links):
Are used to connect to remote STP pairs
from an SSP.
The SSP connects to its home STP pair
but, for diversity, also may be connected to
a remote STP pair using E-links.
E-links then become the alternate route for
SS7 messages in the event that congestion
occurs within the home STP pairs.
A maximum of 16 E-links can be used
between any remote STP pairs.
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 E-links connect an SSP with an STP that is not considered its home STP
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6. Fully Associated Links (F-Links):
Are used when a large amount of traffic
exists between two SSPs or when an SSP
cannot be connected directly to an STP.
F-links enable SSPs to use the SS7
protocol and access SS7 Databases even
when it is not economical to provide a direct
connection to an STP pair.
Only call setup and tear-down procedures
would be sent over this Linkset.
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 F-links connect two STPs directly
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 5 The SS7 Protocol
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).
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 The OSI Reference Model and the SS7 Protocol Stack
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 5.1 Message Transfer Part
Its purpose is to Reliably Transfer
Messages on behalf of the User Parts
across the SS7 network.
The MTP is divided into three levels:
1. MTP Level 1:
Is equivalent to the OSI Physical Layer.
It defines the Physical, Electrical and
Functional characteristics of the Digital
Signaling Link.
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It defines a bidirectional transmission
path for signaling, comprising two data
channels operating together in opposite
directions at the same data rate.
Physical interfaces defined include E1
(2.048 Mbps), DS1 (1.544 Mbps), DS0
(64 kbps) and DS-0A (56 kbps).
2. MTP Level 2:
Is equivalent to the OSI Data Link Layer.
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It ensures accurate End-to-End transmission
of a message across a Signaling Link (SL)
between SPs.
It implements Flow Control, Message
Sequence Validation and Error Checking.
When an error occurs on a Signaling Link
(SL), the Message (or set of messages) is
Retransmitted.
This Signaling Message is called FISU.
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3. MTP Level 3:
Is equivalent to the OSI Network Layer.
It provides Message Routing between
Signaling Points (SPs) in the SS7
Network.
It Reroutes Traffic away from failed
links and SP and Controls Traffic when
Congestion occurs.

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 5.2 ISDN User Part (ISUP)
Defines the Protocol (Signaling) 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.
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5.3 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.

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5.4 Signaling Connection Control
Part (SCCP)
It 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.
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A Subsystem Number uniquely
identifies an application (Database)
at the Destination Signaling Point
(SP).
SCCP is used as the Transport
Layer for TCAP-based services
(TCAP is a protocol used by SCP to
access the a Database Entity).
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 5.5 Transaction Capabilities
Applications Part (TCAP)
TCAP supports the
exchange of Non-
Circuit Related Data
(Queries from the
Database) between
applications across the
SS7 Network using the
SCCP connectionless
service.
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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.
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 6 The SS7 Messages
SS7 uses three different structures of
Packets, which are called Signal
Units (SU) or SS7 Messages.
There are three kinds of Signal Units:
1. Fill-In Signal Units (FISUs).
2. Link Status Signal Units (LSSUs).
3. Message Signal Units (MSUs).

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 SS7 Signal Units
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6.1.1 FISU

FISUs are transmitted continuously on a SL

in both directions unless other SUs (MSUs or
LSSUs) are present.
FISUs carry basic Level 2 information only
(e.g. Acknowledgment of SU receipt by a
Remote SP for accurate End-to-End
transmission).
Because a CRC checksum is calculated for
each FISU, SL quality is checked
continuously by both SPs at either end of the
Link.
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6.1.2 LSSU

LSSUs carry one or two octets (8-bit

bytes) of Link Status information between
SPs at either end of a Link.
The Link Status is used to Control Link
Alignment and to Indicate the status of a SP
(e.g. Local Processor Outage) to the
Remote SP.
LSSUs originate and terminate at Level 3.
It defines the Routing Protocol.
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6.1.3 MSU

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 SP to send
information to a Destination SP across
the Network.
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 6.2 The SS7 Packet Overview

a) Flag:
The Flag is an 8-bit (1-byte) pattern
beginning with 0, followed by six
consecutive 1s, and ending in 0
(01111110).
The Flag is used to signify the beginning
of a Signal Unit and the end of the
preceding Signal Unit.
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b) Indicators:
The Indicator are used to request a
Retransmission.
They are also used for Positive and
Negative Acknowledgments.
There are three types of Indicators:
1. Indicator Bit.
2. Sequence Number.
3. Length Indicator.
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Indicator Bit:
There are two types of Indicator Bit:
1. Backward Indicator Bit (BIB).
2. Forward Indicator Bit (FIB).
During normal conditions, both Indicator
Bit (BIB and FIB) should be of the same
value (0 or 1).
When a Retransmission is being
requested, the SU being sent by the SP
requesting the Retransmission will have
an inverted BIB.
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The FIB retains its original value, this
indicates to the distant SP that an error
occurred and Retransmission must take
place.
The Sequence Numbers:
There are two Sequence Numbers:
1. The Backward Sequence Number (BSN).
2. The Forward Sequence Number (FSN).
BSN and FSN are used for Sequencing
Packets and are used by Level 2 to ensure
that all transmitted packets are received.
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The FSN and BSN are numbers in binary
code from a cyclic sequence ranging from
0 to 127.
The FSN Indicates the Number of the SU
now being sent.
This Sequence Number is incremented
by 1 after every SU transmission, except
in the case of the SUs FISU or LSSU.
The FISU and LSSU assume the FSN of
the last MSU or LSSU is sent and is never
incremented.
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The BSN Indicates the last SU received
without error.
It is used to Acknowledge the receipt of SUs
by the Remote SP.
The BSN contains the Sequence Number of
the SU being Acknowledged.
The transmitting SP maintains all transmitted
SUs in its transmit buffer until an
Acknowledgment is received.
When a SU is received, the BSN is examined
to determine which SUs are being
Acknowledged.
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All Acknowledged SUs are then
dropped from the transmit buffer.
For example, if sequence numbers 1
through 7 have been sent and received
by the distant SP, the next SU sent by
the receiving SP could have a BSN of 7,
which Acknowledges that all SUs, 1
through 7, were received without
error.
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In case of Retransmission Request, the
receiver of the Retransmission Request
then retransmits everything in its transmit
buffer with a sequence number higher than
the BSN of the Retransmission Request.
The Indicator Bits in the retransmitted
message are independent of the originating
exchanges Indicator Bits and do not
provide any indication.
Therefore, they will both be of the same value
during the retransmission.
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The Length Indicator (LI):
LI is used by Level 2 to determine which
type of Signal Unit (SU) is being sent.
The values of the LI can be:
1) 0 for (FISU).
2) 1 or 2 for (LSSU).
3) 3 or more for (MSU).

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c) Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC):
The CRC field is the last field in the SU.
This field is calculated using the fields
immediately following the Flag up to the
check-bit field itself.
The transmitting SP performs the check
before bit stuffing and transmission.
The receiving SP then performs a similar
calculation and compares the remainder to
the CRC field of the received SU.
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d) Service Information Octet (SIO):

The SIO is used by Level 3 to identify the
type of protocol used at Level 4 such as
the ISUP or the TCAP and the type of
subservice standard (ITU-T or ANSI) at
Level 4.
The SIO field in an MSU contains the 4-
bit subservice field followed by the 4-bit
service indicator.
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This information is used by Level 3 and the
message discrimination function to
determine the type of SU, the protocol, and
how it should be decoded.
FISUs and LSSUs do not contain an SIO.
e) Signaling Information Field (SIF):
It is the Payload of SS7.
This field can contain up to 272 octets and
is used by all Upper-Level Protocols such
as ISUP and TCAP.
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Continue
The SIF in an MSU contains the routing
label and signaling information (e.g.,
SCCP, TCAP and ISUP message data).
The SIF is used to transfer control
information and the routing label used by
Level 3.
LSSUs and FISUs contain neither a
routing label nor an SIO as they are sent
between two directly connected SPs.
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 6.3 MTP Level 3 Messaging
MTP Level 3 provides message routing
between SPs in the SS7 Network.
MTP Level 3 routes messages based on
the Routing Label in the Signaling
Information Field (SIF) of message SUs.
The Routing Label is comprised of the
Destination Point Code (DPC),
Originating Point Code (OPC) and
Signaling Link Selection (SLS) field.
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 Continue
Point Codes are numeric addresses that
uniquely identify each SP in the SS7
Network.
When the DPC in a message indicates the
receiving SP, 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 SPs are
transferred provided that the receiving SP
has message transfer capabilities (i.e. STP).
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 ANSI vs. ITU-T SIO and SIF
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 Continue
An ANSI routing label uses Seven Octets;
an ITU-T routing label uses Four Octets.
ANSI point codes use 24 bits (three
octets); ITU-T point codes typically use
14 bits.
ITU-T point codes are pure binary
numbers, which may be stated in terms of
zone, area/network and signaling point
identification numbers.
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 7 Basic ISUP Call Control
The ISUP defines the protocol and
procedures used to Set-Up, Manage and
Release Trunk Circuits that carry voice and
data calls over the PSTN.
ISUP is used for both ISDN and Non-ISDN
Calls.
Intra-exchange calls do not use ISUP
signaling.
Figure on the next slide depicts the ISUP
signaling associated with a basic call.
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 1) Initial Address Message (IAM)
2) Address Complete Message (ACM)
3) Answer Message (ANM)
4) Release Message (REL)
5) Release Complete Message (RLC)

Basic ISUP Signaling

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 Continue
When an Inter-exchange call is placed:
1. The Originating SSP transmits an ISUP
Initial Address Message (IAM) to
reserve an idle Trunk Circuit from the
Originating Switch to the Destination
Switch (1a).
The IAM includes the OPC, DPC, Circuit
Identification Code (Circuit "5" in the
Figure), Dialed Digits and optionally, the
Calling Party Number and Name.
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 Continue
2. The IAM is routed via the home STP of the
Originating Switch to the Destination Switch
(1b).
3. The Destination Switch examines the dialed
number, determines that it serves the called
party and if a line is available for Ringing.
4. The Destination Switch Rings the called
party line and transmits an ISUP Address
Complete Message (ACM) to the
Originating Switch (2a) via its home STP to
indicate that the remote end of the Trunk
Circuit has been reserved.
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 Continue
5. The STP routes the ACM to the
Originating Switch (2b), which Rings the
calling party's line and connects it to the
Trunk to complete the Voice Circuit from
the calling party to the called party.
If the Originating and Destination
Switches are not directly connected with
trunks, the Originating Switch transmits
an IAM to reserve a Trunk Circuit to an
Intermediate Switch.
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 Continue
The Intermediate Switch sends an ACM to
Acknowledge the Circuit reservation
request and then transmits an IAM to
reserve a Trunk Circuit to another Switch.
6. When the called party picks up the phone,
the Destination Switch terminates the
Ringing Tone and transmits an ISUP
Answer Message (ANM) to the Originating
Switch via its home STP (3a).
7. The STP routes the ANM to the Originating
Switch (3b), which verifies that the calling
party's line is connected to the reserved
Trunk and, if so, initiates billing.
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 Continue
8. If the calling party hangs-up first, the
Originating Switch sends an ISUP
Release Message (REL) to release the
Trunk Circuit between the Switches (4a).
9. The STP routes the REL to the
Destination Switch (4b).
10. If the called party hangs-up first, or if the
line is busy, the Destination Switch sends
an REL to the Originating Switch
indicating the release cause (e.g. normal
release or busy).
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 Continue
11. Upon receiving the REL, the Destination Switch
disconnects the Trunk from the called party's
line, sets the Trunk state to idle and transmits
an ISUP Release Complete Message (RLC)
to the Originating Switch (5a) to Acknowledge
the release of the remote end of the Trunk
Circuit.
12. When the Originating Switch receives (or
generates) the RLC (5b), it terminates the
billing cycle and sets the Trunk state to idle in
preparation for the next call.
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 8 ISUP Message Format
ISUP information is carried in the Signaling
Information Field (SIF) of an MSU.
The SIF contains the routing label followed by
a 14-bit (ANSI) or 12-bit (ITU) Circuit
Identification Code (CIC).
The CIC indicates the Trunk Circuit reserved
by the Originating Switch to carry the call.
The CIC is followed by the message type
field (e.g., IAM, ACM, ANM, REL, RLC),
which defines the contents of the remainder
of the message (see Figure on the next
slide).
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 SIO and SIF, and ISUP Message
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 ISUP Message Format
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 9 Remarks
An Initial Address Message (IAM) is sent
in the Forward" direction by each switch
needed to complete the circuit between
the calling party and called party until the
circuit connects to the destination switch.
An IAM contains the called party number
in the mandatory variable part and may
contain the calling party name and
number in the optional part.

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 Continue
An Address Complete Message (ACM) is
sent in the " Backward" direction to indicate
that the remote end of a Trunk Circuit has
been reserved.
The Originating Switch responds to an ACM
message by connecting the calling party's
line to the Trunk to complete the Voice Circuit
from the Calling Party to the Called Party.
The Originating Switch also sends a ringing
tone to the calling party's line.
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 Continue
When the called party answers, the
Destination Switch terminates the ringing
tone and sends an Answer Message
(ANM) to the Originating Switch.
The Originating Switch initiates billing after
verifying that the calling party's line is
connected to the Reserved Trunk.
A Release Message (REL) is sent in
either direction indicating that the Circuit is
being released.
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 Continue
An REL is sent when either the calling or
called party "hangs up" the call.
An REL is also sent in the backward
direction if the called party line is busy.
A Release Complete Message (RLC) is
sent in the opposite direction of the REL to
Acknowledge the release of the remote
end of a Trunk Circuit and end the billing
cycle as appropriate.
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