The SS7 (Signalling System Number 7) is an ITU
standard for signalling in telephone networks.
SS7 (Signalling System
Number 7) is an international telecommunications standard developed by the
International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Telecommunication Sector (ITU-T). The SS7
standard defines the procedures and protocols by which elements in
the public switched telephone network (PSTN) exchange out-of-band signalling information
over a digital signalling network. The protocols and procedures define
such things as call set-up and tear-down, call management, call
routing, call forwarding, display of calling party number, wireless services,
and so on. The SS7 standard refers to out-of-band
signalling, that is signalling that is not sent down the
same channel as the voice call.
In GSM, the SS7
(Signalling System Number 7) is used for all signalling on
all links except for the air interface (or radio interface).