Global title

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_title

A global title (GT) is an address used in the SCCP protocol for routing signaling
messages on telecommunications networks. In theory, a global title is a unique address
which refers to only one destination, though in practice destinations can change over
time.

Overview
The global title is similar in purpose on the PSTN to the host name on the Internet. In
design, however, global titles are quite different. The structure is usually hierarchical, the
value can be of variable length, and is not necessarily a wholly numeric value—though it
often is for issues of backward compatibility and association with regular telephone
numbers.

Structure of the global-title value

The structure of a global title for ITU-T applications is officially defined in ITU-T
Recommendation Q.713, and further extended in the supporting numbering plan
standards. Other national variants of Signalling Connection Control Part (SCCP), such as
the American National Standards Institute variant specified in ANSI T1.112/2000, define
their own format for the Global Title. The value of a global title is a sequence of attributes
which modify the address value. To summarize:

Global title format

A global title can be in a variety of formats, most of which are each defined in separate
standards. The format parameter indicates which of the available formats are in use.
Each format can include any of the subsequent parameters.

Numbering plan indicator

The numbering plan indicator (NPI) describes which numbering plan will be used for the
global title. The chosen numbering plan will aid the routing system in determining the
correct network system to direct the message.

Type of number
The type of number (TON) or Nature of Address Indicator (NAI) parameter, which is of
relevance to E.164 (regular telephone) numbers for example, indicates the scope of the
address value, such as whether it is an international number (i.e. including the country
code), a "national" or domestic number (i.e. without country code), and other formats
such as "local" format (e.g. in the U.S., without an area code).
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Translation type
The translation type (TT) parameter is used in a network to indicate the preferred
method of global title analysis (see below). Normally in European networks, this
parameter is set to 0 (the default) value. In North American mobile networks, different
translation types are used for analysis of the IMSI and for messages between telephone
systems. This parameter is valuable in complex routing problems, where the same
number has to be routed differently depending on the circumstances, such as those
introduced by number portability resolution.

Global title translation

Global title translation (GTT) is the SS7 equivalent to IP routing. Translation examines
the destination address (e.g. the number being called) and decides how to identify it over
the telephone network. This process can include global title analysis, which is the act of
looking up the number and finding a result address, and global title modification.

It is possible for the result of global title translation to be route on SSN. This means that,
instead of the Global Title routing, lower level MTP routing will be used for this message
from this point on. Equivalently, in a system using SS7 over IP (for example, SIGTRAN),
the result from Global Title Translation may be to route to an IP server, though the exact
details depend greatly on which variant of SS7 over IP is being used. [1]

Global title analysis

The situation in this case is somewhat complicated by the additional parameters
possible in the global title. Each set of parameter values (TT=0 NP=E.164, TON=INT) can
be treated separately from each other one (TT=0 NP=E.214, TON=INT). This means that,
instead of one single table, we potentially need a separate table for each possible set of
values.

The variable length of the global title makes certain optimisations that can be used in IP
routing not so easy to use here. The number analysis of a Global Title is most often done
in a tree structure. This allows reasonably efficient analysis to any depth which is chosen.

In the end, global title analysis gives some result. The exact possibilities vary from system
to system, is sometimes called an "action" or is integrated into the analysis table.

The destination would typically be given as a signalling point code in an MTP network, but
could also be an IP system if we are using SS7 over IP[2]

Routing structure
The most commonly used numbering plans for global title routing are E.164 and E.214
(although E.212 is also common in America). These simply look like telephone numbers.
That is to say, in the most common, international, variant there is a country code at the
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start of the number and a Network Code immediately following the country code. Beyond
that is the subscriber number or mobile subscriber identity number, though even that may
be divided into sections. This structure allows for the use of hierarchical routing:

International SCCP gateways know which systems handle each of the other
countries
The international SCCP gateway belonging to each country knows which SCCP
gateways handle each network
The SCCP gateway of each network knows the network's own internal structure

In America, the limitations of the North American Numbering Plan mean that the
destination country is not immediately obvious from the called party address. However,
the fact that there is unified administration means that this can be overcome by having
complete analysis at every point where it is needed.

Global title modification

In global title translation, it is quite normal that at some point the global title will have to
be changed. This happens, for example, as GSM mobility management messages enter
and leave networks in America. In America, typically most routing of mobility
management messages for all mobile networks is done using the E.212 (IMSI) number. In
international networks, E.214 is always used.

At the boundary incoming toward America (this can mean the Signaling Transfer Point at
the edge of the American operator's network), numbers routed from European networks
are converted from E.214 numbers into E.212 numbers. In the outgoing direction, from
America toward the rest of the world, are converted from E.212 numbers into E.214
numbers.

Global title routing in mobile networks

See also: Mobile Application Part
In mobile networks, there are database queries such as "how can I tell if this subscriber is
really who he says he is" (MAP_Send_Authentication_Info) which have to be routed back
to the database which holds the subscriber's information (the HLR, or in this case, the
AUC).

Unfortunately, at the time the subscriber first arrives, we don't know which HLR is the
subscriber's HLR. For this reason, the queries have to be routed on the subscriber's
identity (IMSI) is used to generate the called party address in the message. How this is
done depends whether we are in world area 1 (North America) or somewhere else.

There are three types of GT in use in mobile networks known as E.164 (MSISDN),
E.212(IMSI) and E.214(MGT):[3]

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 E.164(MSISDN) = CC+NDC+SN - ( Country Code+National Destination
Code+Subscriber Number) e.g. 91-98-71405178
E.212(IMSI) = MCC+MNC+MSIN - (Mobile Country Code+Mobile Network
Code+Mobile Subscription Identification Number) e.g. 404-68-6600620186 (MTNL
delhi) -
E.214(MGT) = combination of E.212 and E.164(CC+NDC+MSIN) (Exact combination
is defined in the operators IR21 document)

Mobile global title routing (except North America)

Everywhere in the world, except North America, the subscriber's IMSI is converted to a
Mobile Global Title (MGT) E.214 number. See the entry about the IMSI for more details.
The E.214 number has a structure which is similar to the E.164 number, and, except in a
mobile network it can be routed identically. This means that the same routing tables can
be used for both and means considerably reduced administrative overhead in
maintaining the tables.

Once a signalling message with an E.214 number enters a mobile network in its own
country, the routing is dependent on the operator of that mobile network. In networks
without number portability, it is normal that the MSIN has a structure and that, by
analysing the first few digits we can further route the message to the right element.

IMSI routing (North America)

In World Area 1 (corresponding to North America) ANSI SCCP is in use. In this case, due
to North American standards, the routing of mobility related messages must be done
with the E.212 number directly. This has the advantage that it is easier to identify to
which country messages should be routed based on the mobile country code. The design
of the North American Number Plan means that there is not a separate country code for
each country in North America. Working with E.214 numbers would not be an
insurmountable challenge, as can be seen from the fact that routing of phone calls using
E.164 numbers is normal, but it would mean adding full E.164 routing tables to signalling
transfer points where it has never been needed before.

Routing of mobility messages on the ANSI-ITU boundary

Where a signalling message travels from North America to the rest of the world or from
the rest of the world to North America, there must be a conversion done from E.212
based global title to E.214 based global title. This conversion is reasonably simple, well
defined and fully reversible.

Recommendation E.214 has been interpreted as suggesting that the analysis of the
Mobile Country Code (MCC) and Mobile Network Code (MNC) should be done separately.
The relationship between the MNC and the Network Code (NC), however, varies from
country to country as does the length of the MNC (two or three digits). This means that
the analysis of the MNC is dependent on the analysis of the MCC, or alternatively that the
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analysis must be done for all five or six digits at once (which is how it is done in practise
across at least five separate switch vendors).

Examples

Outbound from America:

NPI=E.212: 28405 xxxxxxxxxx (284 = Bulgaria MCC + 05 = Telenor MNC)

NPI=E.214: 35989 xxxxxxxxx (359 = Bulgaria country calling code + Telenor area
code)

Please note the truncation of the number by one digit since E.214 numbers, as with
E.164 numbers, have a maximum length of 15 digits.

Inbound toward America:

NPI=E.214: 14054 xxxxxxxxx (1 = U.S. country calling code) ->

NPI=E.212: 310150 xxxxxxxxx (310 = U.S. MCC + 150 = Cingular MNC)

References

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