SEGway™ Signaling Gateway

HIGHLIGHTS:

• Flexible Configurations
  
• Network-Proven Solutions
  
• World-Class 24x7 Support
  
• Carrier-Grade Product Offering

SEGway™ Signaling Gateways offer the unparalleled performance and functionality demanded by voice over IP (VoIP) and wireless networks of today and tomorrow. Designed using the latest industry standards and engineered for reliability, Performance Technologies’ signaling gateways support the convergence of Signaling System 7 (SS7) and IP networks.

Figure 1. An example of a mobile network application using a signaling gateway

The public-switched telephone network (PSTN) uses the SS7 signaling protocol to set up and tear down telephone calls and to provide service features such as Local Number Portability (LNP), 800 service, calling name display, or Home Location Register (HLR) validation.

When used in conjunction with softswitches, media gateways, and application servers, the signaling gateway provides the SS7 "on-ramp" that enables IP-telephony applications to emulate the call control functionality or service-processing capabilities of traditional circuit-switched telephone network switches.

Figure 2. An example of a VoIP network using a signaling gateway.

Flexible Configurations

SEGway™ Signaling Gateways offer several types of user application interfaces to provide access to the complete SS7 information message stream. Whether you prefer a standards-based M3UA/SUA over SCTP or a lightweight proprietary TCP socket interface, the choice is yours. Our signaling gateways are designed to be easily adaptable and quickly integrated into the customer’s call control or service creation software environment.

SEGway™ Signaling Gateways terminate the SS7 MTP-2, MTP-3, and SCCP protocol layers and deliver ISUP or any other MTP-3 user protocol messages as well as MTP network management events via SCTP or TCP. Depending on the platform, up to 1024 individual routing keys are available for SS7 message filtering by Application Server Processes (ASPs). Our signaling gateways support IP connectivity to IP-enabled devices through the latest IETF SIGTRAN protocol suite (M3UA/SUA over SCTP).

Optionally, our larger signaling gateway solutions may be licensed to include full STP routing capabilities and all the options available on our SEGway STPs.

SEGway Signaling Gateway software offers a powerful range of configurations. When the software is deployed as a Signaling End Point (SEP), the network provider can connect a number of softswitch and media gateway configurations in widely dispersed geographic areas with the signaling gateway appearing as a separate network entity or “virtual switch” and acting as a single point code to the SS7 network. The software may also be set up to emulate the presence of multiple endpoints via virtual point codes to allow access to more voice trunks and greater traffic distribution.

All of our signaling gateways support voice pass-through and add/drop MUX capabilities to allow grooming of circuits.

Network-Proven Solutions

Performance Technologies' signaling solutions have been deployed for international and domestic applications in wireless and wireline configurations all over the world, including the United States, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, Japan, and China. Our signaling gateways offer multiple co-resident stacks that conform to ANSI, ITU-T, Japanese, and Chinese SS7 specifications which allow customers to transparently deploy their own IP network solution throughout the world without needing to rewrite their own software. SEGway Signaling Gateways support T1, E1, and V.35 interfaces.

World-Class Support

Performance Technologies understands every aspect of systems development – including hardware, software, integration, and deployment - and offers various aspects of technical, OEM, and end user support to ensure a successful deployment or product launch. We offer a variety of training programs, 24x7 support agreements, and software maintenance contracts.

Carrier-Grade Product Offerings

Performance Technologies’ carrier-grade portfolio includes a wide range of modular, standards based platforms that provide customers with cost-effective choices based upon network growth and reliability requirements. Whether your deployment is more traditional (TDM, ATM) or nextgeneration (IP), SEGway products can do it all. As with all SEGway products, these robust, carriergrade offerings are designed with Performance Technologies’ own high-quality software and hardware. In a transitional network configuration, SS7 linksets may be a combination of traditional circuit-switched links and IP links for maximum flexibility.

SEGway™ X401 STP

The SEGway X401 platform is Performance Technologies’ newest high-capacity carrier-grade platform, built with the company’s hardware components and software. With the ability to scale up to 400 SS7 links with HSL and up to 256 SIGTRAN M2PA links in a single compact system, the SEGway X401 offers a lucrative ROI for both wireline and wireless service providers who want to take control of their SS7 network. Ongoing lifecycle costs are well below those of any comparable product on the market today.

When configured as an STP node, the SEGway X401 offers all the standard features and functionality expected of an STP solution, including Gateway Screening and Global Title Translation, while also offering extended capabilities and features, such as Signaling Gateway (MP3UA/SUA) and Point Code Emulation™. With fourteen slots available for I/O and application server blades, the SEGway X401 platform offers unprecedented flexibility to interface with traditional SS7 (TDM, ATM) and next-generation (IP-SIGTRAN) networks, while at the same time offering the ability to incorporate purpose-built application servers integrated into a single platform.

Built on our 12U high-availability Advanced Managed Platforms™, the SEGway X401’s flexible interfaces include low-speed (TDM) and high-speed (IP-SIGTRAN, ATM) SS7 links that are scalable to meet the needs of medium to large service providers. Designed for five-nines (99.999%) reliability, the system includes redundant CPUs, switches, and shelf controllers, as well as dedicated processors with onboard storage for system management and OA&M features.

SEGway™ X301 Compact-STP

The SEGway X301 Compact-STP is Performance Technologies’ midsize STP solution, built to be scaleable to meet the needs of small to midsize service providers. With six payload slots available for low (TDM) and high speed (IP-SIGTRAN, ATM), the Compact-STP solution can be used to manage SS7 networks and connect with multiple inter-connectivity partners. The hardware architecture of the X301 offers the reliability and robustness required in service providers’ networks. Reduced SS7 Facility Leasing Costs and Connectivity Charges Customers who take control of their SS7 network by deploying a pair of SEGway STPs quickly realize significant savings on leased SS7 facility charges through traffic consolidation and local routing. Adding STPs also enables the carrier to deploy services like LNP, ENUM, or CNAM within their networks, thus further reducing costs for transaction-based services charged by the hub providers.

SEGway™ X201 Signaling Gateway

The SEGway X201 is a “big” signaling gateway in a small 1U CompactPCI® chassis. It supports M3UA/SUA SIGTRAN protocols, up to 32 links SS7, and 16 M2PA links. With options such as STP routing, the SEGway X201 offers a very cost-effective solution compared to other platforms.

SEGway™ X101 Signaling Gateway

For smaller deployments, Performance Technologies offers a very economical entry-level Signaling Gateway (SEGway X101). Scalable in four, eight, or 16 link configurations, these solutions can grow to meet your network and budget requirements.

Comparison Chart

Protocols

GR82-Core (Telcordia)

MTP specifications:

• ITU-T Q.700 through Q.707
• ITU-T Q.703 Annex A - "Additions for a national option for high speed signaling links"
• ANSI T1.111-1992 Message Transfer Part

SCCP specifications:

• ITU-T Q.711 through Q.714
  • Connectionless - Class 0 and 1
  • Connection-Oriented - Class 2
• ETSI ETS 300 589
• ANSI T1.112

SCTP: RFC2960 RFC3309
M2PA: RFC4165
M3UA: RFC4666

Ordering Information

To discuss specific requirements and/or pricing, contact sales@pt.com.

Specifications subject to change without notice. The names of actual companies, products, or services may be the trademarks, registered trademarks, or service marks of their respective owners in the United States and other countries.