Technical Manual Signalling System

M900/M1800 MSC/SSP/IP 2 Digital Subscriber Signalling System No.1 (DSS1)

2 Digital Subscriber Signalling System No.1

(DSS1)
DSS1 is used between a user terminal and the local ISDN Exchange. This signalling
utilizes the D-channel on the digital subscriber line.

2.1 ISDN Network Introduction

ISDN network provides multiple functions including circuit switching, packet switching,
non-switching connection and common channel signalling.
In general, the network only provides lower layer (layers 1~3 in the OSI model)
capabilities. In case, some value-added services need the higher layer (layers 4 ~7 in
the OSI model) functions inside the network, the higher layer functions can be realized
inside the ISDN network or provided by an independent service center.
The basic structure of the ISDN network is shown in Figure 2-1. ISDN Terminal
Equipment (TE) accesses the ISDN network via the standard user-network interface.

Packet switching

User-network User-network
interface ISDN ISDN interface
TE LE Circuit switching LE TE

Non-switching
connection

Common channel
signalling

TE: Terminal Equipment ISDN: Integrated Services Digital Network

Figure 2-1 An ISDN network

ISUP of the Signalling System No.7 regulates the control information switching in the
ISDN network (between ISDN switches). DSS1 regulates the control information of the
ISDN user-network interface.
M900/M1800 MSC can serve as the ISDN network switching equipment to support
ISDN network and subscribers, as shown in Figure 2-2.
All ISDN signalling adopts the Common Channel Signalling. Therefore, independent
signalling channels exist in the user-network interface and inside the network and they
are completely isolated from user information channels.

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M900/M1800 MSC/SSP/IP 2 Digital Subscriber Signalling System No.1 (DSS1)

DSS1 SS7 (ISUP) DSS1

User terminal MSC MSC PABX

SS7 (ISUP) SS7 (ISUP)

ISDN switching equipment

Speech/trunk channel Signalling channel

Figure 2-2 M900/M1800 MSC usage in the ISDN network

2.2 Structure of DSS1

ISDN network corresponds to the OSI (Open System Interworking) 7-layer model.
DSS1 system comprises three layers of protocols: Physical layer, Link layer and
Network layer. These three layers correspond to the lower 3 layers of OSI, as shown in
Figure 2-3.

Layer 4-7

Layer 3 Network layer

Layer 2 Link layer

Layer 1 Physical layer

OSI Mode DSS1 signalling system

Figure 2-3 Correspondence between DSS1 and OSI

2.3 Physical Layer

M900/M1800 MSC supports the PRA interface, i.e. 30B+D (30 B-channels and 1 D-
channel).
B-channel: 64 kbit/s user information channel fully compliant with G.711 and G.722
Recommendations. It enables circuit switching, packet switching and SPC (Semi-
Permanent Connection).
D-channel: 16 kbit/s (D16) or 64 kbit/s (D64) signalling channel used to transmit the
circuit-switched signalling and packet data.

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The physical channel of PRA interface adopts the PCM structure. It has the same rate
as the PCM primary group rate, which is 2048kbit/s. Twisted pair cables are used as
transmission media.
In the 30-channel PCM, each frame is divided into 32 basic Time Slots (TS). TS0 is
used for frame synchronization & error control and TS16 is used for signalling
transmission.
In M900/M1800 MSC, PRA interface link layer signalling is processed in the LPN7
board. When the digital trunk board enters the working state, SPC is set up between
TS16 of PCM and a HDLC channel TS on LPN7 board. As PRA interface is the data
communication interface, no multi-frame synchronization exists in TS16 of PCM, which
functions as the signalling link.

2.4 Data Link Layer

LAPD is the data link layer protocol of D-channel stipulated in Q.920/ Q.921
Recommendations. It defines the information switching via D-channel, on layer 2 of the
user-network interface. The switching can be implemented between TE and NT2, or
between NT2 and the switch, or between TE and the switch.
According to the features of S-interface and T-interface, layer-2 protocol of D-channel
satisfies the following two requirements:
Primarily, the protocol supports the working of multiple terminals on the interface, as
multiple terminals in ISDN access the network via the same interface. The terminals
can freely access or disconnect without prior registration in the network. Establishing
contact with the network is the only requirement before usage. To implement control on
multiple terminals, LAPD allows multiple independent links on the same D-channel. A
set of management measures for terminal identifiers is also provided.
The protocol also supports the access of multiple layer-3 entities. In addition to the
control signalling, packet data or remote control/measurement signalling can be
transmitted on the D-channel. Different types of data are processed by different entities
in layer 3. To ensure that the entities get layer-2 services, LAPD sets up multiple SAPs
(Service Access Point) on layer-2 and layer-3 interfaces. Each SAP is assigned with a
unique identifier to enable the multi-channel multiplexing of several terminals and
various services.

2.4.1 Major Functions of LAPD

LAPD provides the following major functions:

 Partition, synchronization and transparent transmission of frame: Information to be

transmitted on the D-channel is converted into frames according to a certain format.
Synchronization between receiving and transmitting is thereby enabled. Specific
measures are adopted to ensure the transparent transmission of information.

 Multiplexing of multiple data links on the same D-channel: It is allowed to establish

multiple data links on the same D-channel and to enable the independent working of
the links.

 Consistency of frame receiving and sending sequences are maintained.

 The transmission error, format error and operation error on the data link are
checked.

 The transmission error is corrected by adopting the re-transmission mode.

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 Uncorrectable errors are intimated to the management entity.

 Flow control is implemented.

 Activation management is carried out on the physical layer.

 The working speed between the receiver and the transmitter is coordinated.

2.4.2 Modes of LAPD Information Transfer

Unacknowledged information transfer

In this mode, frames carrying user data are not numbered and no acknowledgement is
needed after the transfer.
Acknowledged information transfer
This is a connection-oriented information transfer mode. Before transmitting data, the
logical connection between two layer-2 entities is established. After the data is
transferred, the logical connection is disabled.

2.5 Network Layer

User-network interface layer-3 (network layer) provides the call control function. The
call control protocol is stipulated in Q.930/ Q.931, which regulates the process of
establishing connection on B-channel and the process of providing the user-to-user
signalling service on D-channel.

2.5.1 ISDN Call Control Function

The ISDN call control function provided by the network layer includes the following
aspects:

 Processes layer-3 messages and communicates with call control & resource
management entities of the exchange to implement call handling.

 Communicates with the adjacent layers with the help of primitive.

 Necessary resource management is carried out (channel, call reference value, etc.).

 Provides basic services and supplementary service performances, as required by

the user.

2.5.2 Message Structure

To enable the control on calls, layer-3 entities at the subscriber and the network sides
execute dialogues, which are achieved by exchanging messages on the D-channel.
Messages are data blocks of different lengths. They are generated & processed in
layer-3 and transmitted in the UI or I frame data fields of layer-2.
Q.931 Recommendation regulates the general format of the message. The message
comprises several octets. Each message includes a common part and some
information units. The common part comprises 3 sections, whose format is the same
for all messages, as shown in Figure 2-4.

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8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Protocol discriminator 1 Byte

Common part
0 0 0 0 Call reference length 1 Byte

F Call reference Max. 2 bytes

0 Message type 1 Byte

Information unit
Essential & optional
information units

Information unit
.
.
.

Figure 2-4 Normal format of message

Protocol discriminator is used to separate the call control messages from other
messages, in the user-network interface. Its length is 1 octet.
Call reference is used to identify a call in B-channel.
Message type is used to distinguish the types of messages. The length is 1 octet.
Q.931 Recommendation defines a lot of message types, which have various functions
and contain different information units.

2.5.3 ISDN Circuit-Switched Call

Figure 2-5 shows a simple circuit-switched call process and the process of transmitting
call control information in the user-network interface.

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M900/M1800 MSC/SSP/IP 2 Digital Subscriber Signalling System No.1 (DSS1)

Calling Originating Terminating Called Called

terminal LE LE terminal A terminal B

SETUP
SETUP ACK
INFORMATION
CALL PROCEEDING SETUP SETUP
ALERTING ALERTING
ALERTING CONNECT
CONNECT CONNECT ACK
CONNECT ACK RELEASE
RELEASE COMPLETE

Data transmission

DISCONNECT
Calling party clears
RELEASE DISCONNECT
RELEASE COMPLETE RELEASE
RELEASE COMPLETE

Figure 2-5 Communication flow of circuit switching call

The subscriber call request is sent via the SETUP message, which is transmitted on an
established data link (all the following messages are sent over this link).
When the SETUP message reaches the network side, layer-3 entity of the network
side checks the completeness of the called address. If the address is complete, the
CALL PROCEEDING message is used to inform the subscriber to wait. If the address
is incomplete, the SETUP ACK message is sent to the subscriber, seeking further
information.
After the network side receives enough address information, it immediately informs the
exchange to implement routing and resource allocation. In the example shown in
Figure 2-5, the call is connected to the called subscriber via one more switch and the
originating exchange will send the call-related message to the terminating exchange
through SS7 Signalling.
When the terminating exchange receives this message, it sends the SETUP message
to the called subscriber. This message includes all the information sent by the
originating terminal (including bearer service capacity, terminal low-layer feature, high-
layer feature and end-to-end information) and the user information channel selected by
the terminating exchange.
On the PRA interface of the called subscriber, the SETUP message is sent via the
broadcast data link (TEI=127), all terminals connected with the passive bus can
receive the SETUP message and implement compatibility check to see if they satisfy
the call requirements (for example, if the bearer service features are the same,
whether lower layer protocols & higher layer protocols are consistent, whether they are
compatible with calling terminal types and whether the sub-address is in conformity).
In a call, several terminals might be compatible with the information in the SETUP
message. These terminals (such as called terminal A and called terminal B in the
figure) send the ALERTING message back to the network and a ringing tone to the
subscriber. The first ALERTING message is transferred to the originating exchange by
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the terminating exchange and finally reaches the calling terminal, which sends the ring-
back tone to the calling subscriber (or display the ALERTING information).
When one of the called terminals (terminal B in the example) replies, the terminal will
immediately send the CONNECT message to the network. The terminating exchange
transfers this message to the calling side and sends the CONNECT ACK message to
the terminal. The B-channel selected by the switches for the subscriber will be
immediately connected. The circuit connection from the calling subscriber to the called
subscriber at B is set up and can be adopted to transmit user information.
At the same time, the terminating exchange releases the other terminals like A that
were ringing and had not replied. As shown in Figure 2.5, the terminating exchange
sends the RELEASE message to the called terminal A. Terminal A stops ringing and
sends back the RELEASE COMPLETE message.

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