GSM Signaling Platform: Dual IMSI Translation

Highlights

• New revenue potential for existing GSM carriers
• Cost savings and speed to market
• Carrier-grade reliability
• Distributed software architecture
• Network proven redundant solutions
• Exceptionally scalable
• Easily configurable

Overview

The GSM Signaling Platform provides SS7 signal processing and subscriber identification translation that enables larger GSM carriers to offer wholesale roaming services to smaller or emerging GSM carriers who may otherwise not be able to offer extensive roaming coverage. Large carriers can also take advantage of this platform to provide similar roaming capabilities to affiliate companies in different global markets.

Subscribers in a GSM network have an International Mobile Subscriber Identity (IMSI) that identifies them in their carrier's network. For subscribers to roam outside of their home network, their carrier must negotiate roaming agreements with other network operators so the visited network recognizes the subscriber's IMSI and allows roaming to proceed. Negotiating and administering these agreements can be time consuming, and there may be a limit on how many roaming agreements a visiting carrier may choose to support. As a result, emerging or smaller carriers can have difficulty offering extensive GSM roaming coverage.

The GSM Signaling Platform enables a larger GSM carrier to offer roaming capabilities to smaller carriers or divisions within their own company by acting as a broker. The broker carrier or parent company utilizes the GSM Signaling Platform in conjunction with their existing roaming agreements and network infrastructure and then establishes a billing mechanism (transaction or usage-based) to charge the smaller carrier-customer, if necessary.

With a one time 'set it and forget it' agreement with the larger carrier, the carrier-customer or subsidiary gains access to as many visitor networks as the larger carrier offers, without the need to negotiate individual agreements or integrate their SS7 networks.

How Does it Work?

The larger carrier or broker provides the smaller carrier with a second range of subscriber IMSIs. The larger carrier's IMSI (the second) is stored in the subscribers mobile phone along with the original IMSI that is provided by the smaller carrier. When the subscriber roams into another network, the larger carrier's IMSI is activated because the smaller's IMSI is not recognized. This second IMSI now identifies the roaming customer as the larger carrier's subscriber. This results in the IMSI query being sent to the GSM Signaling platform (located in the larger carrier's network) where it is translated (mapped) to the smaller carrier's IMSI, then sent to be validated by the small carrier's HLR. The translation application is referred to as Dual International Mobile Subscriber Identity (DIMSI) Mapping.

Features 

Flexible and Reliable Performance Technologies Distributed SS7 Software
The GSM Signaling Platform utilizes the same distributed SS7 software architecture found in Performance Technologies' network-proven signaling gateway offerings. This feature creates a more scalable architecture, inherent high reliability and greater flexibility for SS7 network interworking.

GSM MAP, CAP and TCAP Validation
The GSM Signaling Platform validates and manipulates messages that contain TCAP, GSM MAP (versions 1, 2, 2+), and GSM CAP (version 2+) data. Modifications to protocol format support are achieved by upgrading database files rather than requiring software modifications. Performance Technologies strictly adheres to industry accepted standards promoted by the GSM MoU Association and International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Sophisticated Global Title Translation
The GSM Signaling Platform performs full or partial Global Title Translation (GTT) to determine the proper routing of each SS7 message.

Network-Proven Redundant Solutions
Performance Technologies' signaling solutions have been deployed by OEMs and international and domestic carriers in wireless and wireline configurations all over the world, including the United States, Canada, France, UK, Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, Japan and China. Our signaling platform contains multiple co-resident stacks conforming to ANSI, ITU-T, Japan TTC or NTT, and Chinese SS7 specifications, allowing customers to transparently deploy their own IP network solution throughout the world without the need to rewrite their own software code. The GSM Signaling Platform supports V.35, T1 and E1 interfaces for the connection of SS7 links.

Network Management
The SS7 network requirements of the GSM Signaling Platform can be configured remotely using a Web-based interface. The platform provides logs and alarms for integrated SS7 network management and support for SNMP.