Chapter 9

Telephone Network
School of Information Science and
Engineering, Shandong University
Associate Prof., Deqiang Wang

Outline
Subscriber loop system
Switching hierarchy and Routing

Transmission Plan
Transmission Systems
Signaling Techniques

Introduction
Major systems involved in
telecommunication networks

Subscriber end equipments

Subscriber loop systems
Switching systems
Transmission systems
Signaling systems

9.1 Subscriber Loop Systems

Cable hierarchy for subscriber loops

MDF:
MF
FP
BF
DP
DC
DW

Issues on Subscriber loop

How long the subscriber loop could be?
Signaling limits: Current delivered should
be high enough.
Attenuation limits: The resistance of the
cables increase in proportion to length.

Issues on Subscriber loop

How to cover subscribers too far
away?
Use of higher diameter wire.
Use of equalized telephone set.
Use of higher supply voltage.

Issues on Subscriber loop

How to cover disperse subscribers?
Party lines: two subscriber share one line.
Carrier systems: (FDM or TDM)
Concentrators: A large number of
subscribers share a small number of
Junction lines
lines.
Subscribers
N

C/E

C/E
Power feed
& control

C/Econcentrator / expander /

Exchange
M

Issues on Subscriber loop

Subscriber loop interface

Functions: BORSCHT
B=Battery feed
O=Overvoltage protection
R=Ringing

S=Supervision
C=Coding
PCM
H=Hybrid
2/4
T=Test

9.2 Switching Hierarchy and Routing

Interconnection of switching exchanges
Trunk group

Topologies adopted in Telephone networks

Mesh network ()
Fully connected network
Number of Trunk groups is proportional to
square of the exchanges interconnected
Suitable for heavy traffic among exchanges
E

Topologies adopted in Telephone networks

Star network ()
A tandem exchange () is employed.
All other exchanges communicate through
tandem exchange.
Suitable for low traffic applications.

Hierarchical network
Multilevel star connection.
The number of trunk groups can be minimized.

Star & hierarchy

Routing Methods
Right-through routing
The original exchange determines the
complete route from source to destination.
There are a number of predefined routes.
A route is selected based on certain
criteria, such as time of the day,
distribution of the traffic etc..
No routing decisions are taken at the
intermediate exchanges/nodes.

Right-through routing
Routing Decision

Right-through

Source:A

Right-through
E

Right-through
Destination:B

Routing Methods
Own-exchange/distributed routing
Alternative routes can be chosen at the
intermediate nodes.
Capable of responding to changes in
traffic loads and network configurations.
Minimal modifications are required when
new exchanges are added.

Own-exchange/distributed routing
Routing Decision
A

Routing Decision
C
Routing Decision
E

D
Routing Decision

Routing Methods
Computer-controlled routing
Based on the use of common channel
signaling (CCS) systems.
In CCS, there is a separate computercontrolled signaling network.
A number of routing methods can be
implemented.

Computer-controlled routing
Routing decisions are made by an independent signaling network.
STP
B

9.3 Transmission Plan

Transmission quality and efficiency of
operating of signaling impose limit on
number of circuits connected in tandem.
CCITT Q40:

The maximum number of circuit to be used in an

international call is 12.
No more than four international circuits be used
in tandem between the originating and the
terminating international switching centres.
In excepted cases and for a low number of calls,
the total number of circuits may be 14, but even
in this case, the international circuits are limited
to a maximum of four.

9.3 Transmission Plan

Factors in Transmission loss budget

Line loss ()
Switch loss ()
Echo level ()
Singing ()

Echo & Measures taken

Echo: talker is disturbed
Amplifier

Echo of A

Measures taken

2/4
Hybrid

Attenuator: short delay echos (<50ms)

Echo suppressor: long delay echos (>50ms)
Echo canceller: long delay echos (>50ms)

Echo
Attenuator: short delay echos (<50ms)
Attenuator

Echo of B

Echo of A

Attenuator

Echo
Echo suppressor: long delay echos
(>50ms)
Controlled Echo of B
Attenuator

Echo of A

Controlled
Attenuator

Echo
Echo canceller: long delay echos
(>50ms)
Store and delay

Canceller

Singing & Control

Singing: both talker and listener are
disturbed.
Amplifier

Singing

Control

2/4
Hybrid

CCITT: a minimum loss of 10dB

9.7 Signaling Techniques

Terminology
Subscriber loop signaling
Intraexchange or register signaling
Interexchange or interregister signaling

Signaling techniques
Inchannel signaling ()
Uses the speech or data path for signaling.
Common channel signaling ()
Uses a separate common channel for passing
control signals for a group of trunks or
information paths.

Signaling techniques
Signaling
Inchannel
D.C.

Low
Voice
PCM
Frequency Frequency

Inband Outband

Common Channel
Associated Nonassociated

Inchannel vs. CCS

Inchannel
Trunks are held up
during signaling
Signal repertorie is
limited
Interference between
voice and control
signals
Misuse by customers
Slow
Difficult to change
Reliability is not
critical

CCS
Trunks are not
required for signaling
Possible to be
expanded
No interference
between voice and
control signals
No misuse
Fast
Flexible
Reliability is critical

Modes of CCS
Channel associated mode ()
The signaling path passes through the same set
of switches as does the speech path.
Topologies of the signaling network are the same
as that of speech network.
STP: Signaling transfer point;
SP: Signaling point
B

Modes of CCS
Channel nonassociated mode (~)
The signaling information may follow a different
route from that of speech.
The topologies of signaling network are different
from that of speech network.
STP
B

CCS Network Nodes

Types of node: SP & STP
Signaling Points (SP)
A SP is capable of handling control messages
directly addressed to it, but is incapable of
routing messages.

Signaling Transfer Points (STPs)

A STP capable of routing messages and could
also perform the functions of a SP.

9.8 In-channel Signaling

CCITT Inchannel Signaling Systems
SS1: 500/20Hz signaling
SS2: 600/750Hz signaling
SS3: 2280Hz single voice frequency
signaling
SS4: 2040 and 2400Hz two voice
frequency compound end-to-end
analog signaling
SS5: 2400 and 2600Hz two VF compound
analog line signaling and 2/6 multifrequency
inband analog interregister signaling with TASI
TASI: Time assigned speech interpolation

SS4 (inband signaling)

SS4 adopts inband signaling using a
combination of two voice frequencies or a
single voice frequency.
Timings for SS4 signaling elements
Element
Compound
Single-short
Single-long

Duration (ms) Recognition(ms)

15030
8020
10020
4010
35070
20040

SS4
Sample control signals
Control signal

Code

Terminal seizure

PXs

Transit seizure

PYs

Clear forward

PXl

Forward transfer

PYl

P=prefix element (2-VF compound)

Xl=2040Hz long
Xs=2040Hz short
Yl=2400Hz long
Ys=2400Hz short

SS4
Digits of the dialed number
Transmitted as binary codes of four
elements.
Binary 1: 2040Hz
Binary 0: 2400Hz
Pulse duration: 357ms
Gap between neighbor digits: 357ms

SS5 (inband signaling)

Line signaling

Compound of the two voice frequencies or a

continuous single frequency.

Interregister signaling:

2-out-of-6 MF (multiple frequency) code.

TASI

Attempt to improve trunk utilization by assigning

a circuit to a speech channel only when there is
speech activity.
A technique to support more speech channels
with a number of trunks.
Leads to speech/signaling clipping.

SS5
Techniques used to maintain trunkchannel
association during the signaling period:
The address information is transmitted as a
block after gathering all the address digits, and
the gaps are ensured to be less than the speech
detector hangover time.
Address digits are transmitted as and when they
arrive and a lock tone is transmitted during the
gaps.

E and M signaling control

A standard method of transferring
signaling information between the
switching equipment and the
signaling equipment.
M-lead: carries signals from the
switching equipment to the signaling
equipment.
E-lead: carries signals from the signaling
equipment to the switching equipment.

E and M signaling control

Switching
Equipment
A

Signaling
Terminal
A

Signaling
Terminal
B

Switching
Equipment
B

M: mouth

E: ear

Outband signaling
Outband signaling types

d.c. signaling
Low frequency a.c. signaling
a.c. signaling above speech band
Inslot PCM

Usage
Done on link-by-link basis
End-to-end signaling is precluded

Outband signaling with E and M control

d.c.-a.c.

LPF

a.c.-d.c.
F

LPF

LPF

LPF

D
F
a.c.-d.c.

d.c.-a.c.

Built-in PCM signaling

In-slot signaling
The signaling information pertaining to a
particular speech channel is carried in
the same time slot as the speech.
Example: Bell 24-channel system.

Out-slot signaling
The signaling information pertaining to a
particular speech channel is carried in a
separate time slot.
Example: CEPT 30-channel system.

Built-in PCM signaling

Bell D2 24-channel multiframe PCM
signaling structure
signaling

Speech sample

Frame 1 12345678
TS 1

12345678
TS 24

Frame 2

Bit 1 unused

Frame 3

Bit 1 used for signaling as in Frame 1

Frame 4

Bit 1 used for frame synchronization

Built-in PCM signaling

CEPT 30-channel system outslot
signaling
Totally 32 time slots per frame
Time slot 0 is used for synchronization
Time slot 16 is used for signaling,
carrying signaling information for two
speech channels each time.
A multiframe structure (16 frames) is
adopted for signaling purpose.

CEPT 30-channel system outslot signaling

SIG

SYN
Frame0
Frame1
Frame2

Frame15

TS0
TS0
TS0

TS0

TS1
TS1
TS1

TS1

TS2

TS16

TS30 TS31

TS2

0-15
TS16

TS30 TS31

TS2

1-16
TS16

TS30 TS31

TS2

14-29
TS16

TS30 TS31

9.9 Common Channel Signaling

CCS
Signaling is completely separate from
switching and speech transmission.
Dedicated channels for signaling are
used to support a group of circuits.
The CCS network is basically a store and
forward (S&F) network where signaling
information travels on a link-by-link
basis along the route.

Basic scheme for CCS

Switching
network

SPC
processor

ST

Speech circuits
group

Switching
network

M
Voice
channel
Data channel

Signaling channel
CCS system
ST: Signaling Terminal

M: Modem

ST

SPC
processor

CCS signaling message formats

SU: signaling unit of fixed length.
SUM: single unit message
A message of one signal unit length.
Signaling

Header Information Circuit label Error Check

MUM: multiunit message

A message with multiple signal units.

Signaling

Header Information Circuit label Error Check

Sub
header
Sub
header

Length
Length

Other sig~

Error Check

Address digits Error Check

SS7
First defined in1980, revised in1984
and 1988.
Can be used over a variety of digital
circuit switched networks.
The functions in SS7 are defined
assuming packet switched operation.
Primarily optimized to work with
digital SPC exchanges utilizing
64kbps digital channels.

Architecture of SS7
levels
OA&M

ISUP

TUP

4
SCCP
3

Signaling network

Signaling link

Signaling datalink

MTP

NSP

MTP: message transfer part

NSP: network service part
TUP: telephone user part
ISU: ISDN user part
SCCP: signaling connection control part
OA&M: operation, administration and maintenance

Signaling units of SS7

Three types of signaling units
MSU: message signal unit
LSSU: link status signal unit
FISU: fill-in signal unit

Flag bit pattern: 01111110

Used as delimiter for synchronization
Only flags can contain six 1s

Signaling units of SS7

MSU

F
8

Control
24

LSSU

F
8

Control Status
24
8

FISU

F
8

Control
24

CRC
16

F
8

BSN
7

Bl
1

FSN
7

FI
1

Control
subfield

SER
8

SIF
16~496

CRC
16

CRC
16

F
8

LI
6

F
8

U
2

F=flag CRC=cyclic redundancy code SIF=signaling information

SER=service information field BSN=backward sequence number
BI=backward indicator
FSN=forward sequence number
FI=forward indicator
LI=length indicator
U=unused

Assignments
Ex.17
Ex.18