Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
April 2015
Table of Contents
1
INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................................... 3
2
MARKET DRIVERS AND BUSINESS CHALLENGES ............................................................ 4
2.1
SS7/STP Challenges ................................................................................................................... 4
2.1.1
2.1.2
2.1.3
2.1.4
1 Introduction
The telecommunications signaling methodology is evolving from SS7the most enduring and feature-rich
signaling methodology in historyto Long Term Evolution/Evolved Packet Core (LTE/EPC) Diameter
networksthe fastest deployed network technology in history according to the GSMA. On the surface this
may seem to be old news, especially since SS7 networks and their supporting equipment have been in
service since the mid-1980s. However, SS7 networks are still providing services to approximately 3 billion
subscribers worldwide. In fact, SS7 networks and their services must be supported until the transition to
next generation networks is complete. The issues regarding the ongoing support of the SS7 network and
the migration to Diameter-based networks are:
Many traditional SS7 equipment vendors are redirecting their products and support away from their
legacy SS7 products to the next-generation Diameter products.
The number of SS7 Signal Transfer Point (STP) equipment vendors has dwindled to five.
Due to the lack of components some vendors have announced that major costly upgrades to their
equipment are required.
Very few protocol routing products support both SS7 and Diameter routing on the same platform.
The tight coupling of applications like Number Portability to STP proprietary architectures.
All of these complications are occurring when operators are investing in new networks, budgets for legacy
equipment are limited or nonexistent, and the Average Revenue per User (ARPU) is decreasing on a global
scale.
These topics and others will be discussed in this paper.
After the redesign of proprietary equipmentsome STP vendors require their customers implement these
upgrades to remain on support contracts. Network operators only have three choices regarding this
upgrade strategy:
Stay with their existing installed products and risk network and support issues that may arise or
None of these choices is optimal in an environment when operators are investing in next generation
networks and subscriber ARPU is declining.
2.1.4 Some STP vendors have applications tightly coupled to their proprietary
platforms while others have 3rd party applications
Over the history of SS7, different applications have been specified. Some of these applications were made
mandatory by governmental agencies around the world. One such application is Number Portability (NP)
used in both the wireline and mobile environments. There have been different approaches to delivering
number portability applicationsbuilding the NP application directly on the STP platform, acquiring a 3rd
party application or developing the application as part of the overall company produce strategy.
Some traditional STP vendors have developed the number portability application and integrated it as part of
their STP platform. Initially this was thought to be an efficient delivery methodology, however, as the
quantity of database entries increased this concept did not scale very well. In order to solve STP issues it
becomes necessary to either decouple the number portability application from the STP or to replace the
STP / number portability combination. Both of these scenarios will be discussed later in this paper.
SS7 MAP to Diameter interworking is required for the operations and roaming between from 3G SS7-based
networks and 4G LTE/EPC Diameter-based networks. The Diameter to MAP interworking capability is
specified by 3GPP TS 29.305 v12.1.0 (2013-12). TS 29.305 describes four scenarios for interworking:
Scenario One: S6a/S6d - Pre Rel8 Gr interworking scenario with one IWF. This scenario is used
in two cases:
1. Between operators when the home network is a legacy SS7-based network and the
subscriber is roaming into an LTE/EPC/Diameter-based network.
2. Within a single service providers network when the network consists of both SS7 and
Diameter segments.
Visited#EPS/Diameter#
Network#
Home#Network#
PreERelease#8#
MME#(S6a)#
or#
SGSN#(S6d)#
Diameter#
S6a/S6d#
DSC#
With#SS7/MAP#
Interworking#
FuncDon#
SS7#MAP#
Gr#
HLR#
EPC#
Scenario 1
Scenario Two: S6a/S6d - Rel8 Gr interworking scenario with one IWF. The interworking function
provides a protocol conversion between either the MME S6a Diameter interface and the HLR SS7
Gr interface or the SGSN Diameter S6d interface and the HLR SS7 Gr interface.
Visited$EPS/Diameter$
Network$
Home$(UMTS/GPRS/EPS)$
Network$
Release$8$
MME$(S6a)$
or$
SGSN$(S6d)$
Diameter$
S6a/S6d$
DSC$
With$SS7/MAP$
Interworking$
Func<on$
SS7$MAP$
Gr$
HLR$
EPC$
Scenario 2
Scenario Three: S6a/S6d - S6a/S6d interworking scenario with two IWFs. This case assumes that
both networks are LTE/EPC/Diameter-based networks and the transport of information between
the networks is based on the SS7/MAP Gr interface.
Visited)EPS/Diameter)
Network)
MME)(S6a))
or)
SGSN)(S6d))
Diameter)
S6a/S6d)
Home)(EPS))
Network)
Release)8)
SS7)MAP)
DSC)
With)SS7/MAP)
Interworking)
FuncAon)
DSC)
With)SS7/MAP)
Interworking)
FuncAon)
Diameter)
S6a/S6d)
HSS/MME&
S6a)
)
HSS&SGSN&
S6d)
Scenario 3
Scenario Four: S13/S13' - Gf interworking scenario with one IWF. This scenario defines two
mapping cases:
1. Between the MME S13 Diameter interface and the EIR Pre-Release 8 SS7 Gf interface.
2. Between the SGSN S13 Diameter interface and the EIR Pre-Release 8 SS7 Gf interface.
Visited(or(Home((EPS/Diameter(
Network(
Home((PreCRelease(8)(
Network(
PreCRelease(8(
MME(S13)(
or(
SGSN(S31)(
Diameter(
S13/S13(
DSC(
With(SS7/MAP(
Interworking(
FuncBon(
SS7(MAP(
Gf(
EIR(
EPC(
Scenario 4
Network operators have been using CAP to provide mobile subscriber prepaid services. With the evolution
to LTE/EPC Diameter-based networks interworking between SS7 / CAP and Diameter is required. Without
this interworking, operators would be faced with having to support multiple siloed charging systems.
Currently there is no industry specification for CAP to Diameter interworking. Therefore, this interworking
capability is left to the operators in conjunction with the network equipment vendors. Platform flexibility is
key to solving interworking issues.
Any discussion around Diameter interworking should also include Diameter-to-Diameter interworking. In
todays environment vendors may interpret the Diameter specifications differently yielding Diameter
implementations that are incompatible with each other. This problem is exacerbated at the network edge
where multiple networks converge. Service providers have little knowledge of the equipment and its
software version in the foreign interconnected network. With the growth in LTE/EPC Diameter-based
networks and the increase in roaming agreements between network operators, the importance of Diameterto-Diameter interworking cannot be understated.
The Diameter protocol was developed to overcome deficiencies in the RADIUS protocol however its
implementation has to be a phased approach. This is especially true for the legacy networks where
RADIUS has been used for quite some time. Some networks like WLAN still specify the use of the RADIUS
protocol. Given these facts and the need to communicate with RADIUS-based networks and equipment it is
imperative to have a Diameter to RADIUS interworking capability.
In order to overcome the issues related to the hybrid nature of todays telecommunications networks and
their disparate protocols, the ability to provide interworking functions is extremely important. At a minimum
the interworking capabilities need to encompass SS7 to MAP, SS7 to CAP, Diameter to Diameter and
RADIUS to Diameter. With the inclusion of the interworking capabilities operators can seamlessly integrate
services between segments of the hybrid network.
Implement costly upgrades to make existing proprietary platform STPs consistent with vendorrequired support standards.
The problem with both of these scenarios is that operators would have to increase both OPEX and CAPEX
expenditures for equipment thats usage and value are going to decrease over time. Additionally, this
approach does not provide an evolution path to next generation networks such as LTE/EPC Diameterbased networks or Voice over LTE (VoLTE) networks.
2.3.3 Replace existing STPs with solutions that evolve to Diameter, SS7, Number
Portability and other applications and protocols, as required
The final scenario would be to replace the functionality with the same functionality but on a platform that
would:
These solutions are known as Centralized Signaling and Routing Control (CSRC) solutions. Within the
telecommunications industry the term Cap and Grow is well known and understood. However CSRC
solutions takes this terminology to a new level Cap, Replace, Evolve and Grow Efficiently.
STP.
SS7.
Network..
Centralized.Signaling.
&.
Rou=ng.Control.
(CSRC)..
.
Interworking
.
Function
.
.
Number.
.
LTE/EPC/Diameter.
Network..
DSC,
DEA, SLF
...
Portability.
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3.4 Conclusion
The signaling and control plane of the telecommunications network is the heart of the network and without
it nothing happensno calls are made, no data services are set up, and no billing occurs. Given the
importance of signaling and control the CSRC concept and solutions:
Provide a single point of provisioning of the signaling-control layer which enables faster
introduction of new services
IMS core signaling, EPC/Diameter based signaling, network interconnections and roaming
Allow efficient evolution for legacy networks and protocols to next-generation networks and
protocols.
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12
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In the following figure, all signaling, routing and subscriber database services are highlighted in blue. To
simplify the network, these common types of functionality should be consolidated using a CSRC platform.
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The next figure depicts a network implemented using the concepts of CSRC. The CSRC provides
operators with a platform that supports:
Multi-protocols
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5 NetNumber TITAN
NetNumber TITAN is a CSRC solution that supports multiple signaling protocols in a single platform and
enables the following unique capabilities:
1. Signaling Control TITAN acts as signaling control engine for the signaling protocols supported
(typically Diameter, SS7/C7, SIP and ENUM/DNS including regional flavors and customer
additions).
2. Signaling Interworking TITAN offers the flexibility and the capability to interwork all supported
signaling protocols including, where applicable, real-time adaptations per message and/or
parameter.
3. Dynamic Service Chaining TITAN can invoke one or more service applications per session, call
or message dependent on dynamic decisions during service logic execution.
4. Common Databases TITAN provides the unique advantage that the same database information
can be accessed via all signaling protocols supported. This also includes access to external
databases via referral queries and the possibility for concurrent database queries.
5. OSS/BSS Simplification One central location to provision multiple signaling-control and network
database services. One central location for aggregation of CDRs from multiple signaling control
applications. One central location for integration with the network management system for alarms,
traps and monitoring.
6. Customer Defined Service Logic (RPL) TITAN JAVA SLEE programming capabilities offer
unique flexibility that allows customers to quickly modify both TITAN data structures and service
logic so that impacts on existing OSS/BSS systems can be minimized.
7. Full NFV integration Tight integration of the TITAN Master and Edge applications into VMware
and OpenStack service orchestration layers in Virtual environments in addition to TITAN CSRC
platform deployments on COTS hardware.
5.1 Experience
NetNumber, Inc. brings 15 years of experience delivering innovative signaling control solutions that enable
carriers to accelerate implementation of new services across multiple generations of networks, while
dramatically simplifying the core network and reducing operating costs. Today, NetNumber is the leading
provider of CSRC solutions to the global communications industry.
5.2 Focus
NetNumber offers telecom carriers and operators a strategic paradigm shift in the signaling and control
plane through delivery of the TITAN platform. NetNumber TITAN is a multi-protocol signaling platform that
supports 15+ well-defined signaling-control, centralized routing and network database services on a
common platform infrastructure. TITAN is one signaling-control infrastructure (system) that carriers deploy
just once and then leverage by adding multiple virtual network functions that encompasses all signaling,
routing, and database services.
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Local data
Referral data
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By deploying TITAN, the virtualization of individual silos is eliminate and the following benefits can be
realized:
About NetNumber
NetNumber, Inc. brings 15 years of experience delivering innovative signaling control solutions that enable
carriers to accelerate implementation of new services across multiple generations of networks, while
dramatically simplifying the core network and reducing operating costs. Today, we are the leading provider
of Centralized Signaling and Routing Control (CSRC) solutions to the global communications industry.
The carrier-grade TITAN platform is used by more than 150 customers globally. NetNumber delivers its
TITAN solution directly to customers or as part of the solutions delivered by a growing number of industry
partners. The approach depends per project, situation and on customer preference.
Please visit www.netnumber.com or contact your local account representative via sales@netnumber.com
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