Introduction

The ISDN User Part or ISUP is part of the Signaling

System #7 (CCITT number 7) which is used to set up
telephone calls in Public Switched Telephone Networks
A telephone call set up from one subscriber to another
involves many telephone exchanges, possibly across
international boundaries
To allow a call to be set up correctly, where ISUP is
supported, a switch will signal call related information
like called or calling party number to the next switch in
the network using ISUP messages.

SS7
CCITT Signalling System No. 7 comprises the
following functional blocks :
Message Transfer Part (MTP)
Telephone User Part (TUP)
ISDN User Part (ISDNUP)
Signalling Connection Control Part (SCCP)
Transaction Capabilities (TC)
ApplicationEntity (AE)
ApplicationServiceElements (ASEs)


ISUP
The telephone exchanges are connected via
E1 or T1 trunks which transport the speech
from the calls
These trunks are divided into 64 kbit/s
timeslots, and one timeslot can carry exactly
one call. Each timeslot between two switches
is uniquely identified by a Circuit Identification
Code (CIC) that is included in the ISUP
messages.
ISUP
The exchange uses this information along with the
received signalling information (especially the Called
Party Number) to determine which inbound CICs and
outbound CICs should be connected together to
provide an end to end speech path
ISUP is also used to exchange status information for,
and permit management of, the available timeslots. In
the case of no outbound CIC being available on a
particular exchange, a release message is sent back to
the preceding switches in the chain so a new route can
betried.


Message types
An ISUP message contains a fixed header
containing the circuit identification code and the
ISUP message type, followed by a fixed-length
part and optional variable-length part that are
dependent on the type of message being sent.
ISUP messages can be sent using the services of
the Message Transfer Part, or, less often, the
signalling Connection Control Part. These
messages are transmitted in various stages of call
setup and teardown.
Continued
Initial Address Message (IAM) First message sent to
inform the partner switch that a call has to be established
on the CIC contained in the message. Contains the called
and calling number, type of service (speech or data) and
many more optional parameters.

Subsequent Address Message (SAM) In case the IAM did
not contain the full called number, one or more SAMs may
follow containing additional digits.

Address Complete Message (ACM) Message returned
from the terminating switch when the subscriber is reached
and the phone starts ringing.

Continued
Answer Message (ANM) Sent when the subscriber
picks up the phone. Normally charging starts at this
moment.

Release (REL) Sent to clear the call when a
subscriber goes on hook. This is also sent (without a
preceding Release message) if the terminating switch
determines that the call cannot be completed. The
terminating switch also sends a Cause Value to explain
the reason for the failure, e.g., "User busy". Release
complete (RLC) Acknowledgement of the release
the timeslot is idle afterwards and can be used again.

Continued

ISUP Call Sequence

Call Initiated
See Figure 1.1 and Figure 1.2 as you review the
following messaging sequence:
1. Calling party goes "off hook" on an originating
switch (SSP) and dials the directory number of
the called party.
1a. Originating SSP transmits ISUP IAM to reserve
an idle trunk circuit. The IAM includes OPC, DPC,
CIC, dialed digits, CPID, and calling party name
(Caller ID option).

Continued
1b. IAM is routed via home STP of originating SSP.
2. Destination switch (SSP) checks the dialed number
against its routing table and confirms that the called
party's line is available for ringing.
2.a Destination SSP transmits ACM to the originating
SSP via its home STP to confirm that the remote end of
the trunk circuit has been reserved.
2b. The STP routes the ACM to the originating SSP
which connects the calling party's line to the trunk to
complete the voice circuit. The calling party hears
ringback tone.

Figure 1.1: ISUP Call Initiation (1)
SSP SSP
STP STP
1a. IAM
Voice Circuit Identification Code (CIC=5)
SS7 Links
2b. ACM 1b. IAM
2a. ACM
SACHIN
ANAND
Figure 1.2: ISUP Call Initiation (2)

ISUP Call Answered

See Figure 1.3 as you review the following
messaging sequence:
3a. Called party goes off-hook. Destination switch
terminates ringing tone and transmits an ISUP
answer message (ANM) to the originating switch
via its home STP.
3b. STP routes ANM to originating switch which
verifies that the calling party is connected to the
reserved trunk. Billing is initiated.

Figure 1.3: ISUP Call Answered
SSP SSP
STP STP
Voice Circuit Identification Code (CIC=5)
SS7 Links
3b. ANM
3a. ANM
SACHIN
ANAND
ISUP Call Released

See Figure 1.4 and Figure 1.5 as you review the following
messaging sequence:
4a./b. If the calling party hangs up first, the originating
switch sends an ISUP release message (REL) to release the
trunk between the two switches. If the called party releases
first, the destination switch sends an REL message to the
originating switch to release the circuit.
5a. When the destination switch receives the REL, it
disconnects and idles the trunk, and transmits an ISUP
release complete message (RLC) to the originating switch to
acknowledge the release of the remote end of the circuit.
5b. When the originating switch receives or sends an RLC,
the billing cycle ends and the trunk state is returned to idle.

Figure 1.4: ISUP Call Release (1)
SSP SSP
STP STP
Voice Circuit Identification Code (CIC=5)
SS7 Links
5b. RLC
5a. RLC
4b. REL
4a. REL
SACHIN
ANAND
Figure 1.5: ISUP Call Release (2)


Message format
The signaling Information Field (SIF) for all ISUP
Message Signal Units (MSU) contain the following
components:
Routing Label
Circuit Identification Code
Message Type
Mandatory Fixed Part
Mandatory Variable Part
Optional Part
Routing Label

There are four types of labels :
type A for MTP management messages;
type B for TUP;
type C for ISDNUP (circuit related) messages;
type D for SCCP messages.

CCITT S.S. No. 7 message label types

Circuit Identification Code
The circuit identification code is used as a label for circuit
related signaling messages, e.g., TUP or ISDNUP.
The least significant 4 bits of this field (in the TUP) is the
signaling Link Selection (SLS) field, which is used, where
appropriate, to perform load sharing.
In the ISDNUP, the SLS is a separate field to the circuit
identification code.
The Circuit Identification Code is used to specify which trunk
between two switches is used to carry a particular call. Note
that some versions of ANSI ISUP permit a CIC with 14
significant bits instead of the 12 that are shown.