Asterisk SS7 support.

There are several options for getting SS7 support in Asterisk:

• LIBISUP Professional SS7 solution for Asterisk by Cosini Technologies Scalable, high maturity due to many installations on four continents. Supports loadsharing and resiliency.
• SS7 Protocol Converter Used to interconnect Asterisk with SS7 networks.
• The ss7box signaling gateway is currently being adapted to Asterisk. The A-link version is being developed first. An F-link version with voice drop/add is planned.
• Sangoma Signal Media Gateway (SMG & ss7box) Enterprise level, Scalable Asterisk SS7 Solution.
• chan_ss7 An Open Source ss7 channel driver currently being developed by Sifira A/S.
• Asterisk libss7 Native asterisk ss7 support, like libpri.

 

Resources

• Asterisk SS7 Mailing list
• SS7 Protocol Converters and Gateways
• Check http://www.astcode.com for commercial support on using ss7 with asterisk
• Send mail to: mailto:ss7pro@gmail.com for cheap and reliable asterisk with ss7 commercial support
• Mailing List post
• Mailing List post
• SS7 Forum

Background info

In simple terms SS7 is the suite of protocols used by all major networks for interconnecting their 'real' telephone exchanges. There are many telecomms platforms which only support SS7 if you want to connect into them you will need SS7 support.
Note that SS7 is not limited to 'call' data, there are many protcols which sit on the SS7 stack such as MAP (Mobile Appilication Part - used in GSM - directly talk to proper SMSC's), INAP (Intelligent Networks Application Part - used for intelligent networks, deploying services such as pre-paid, tele-voting).
The equivalent of ISDN/PRI in SS7 is ISUP (ISDN User Part) which is typically used in modern networks for inter-exchange call routing (some older networks use TUP - Telephony User Part - even older networks use non SS7 ), which I would suppose is the first step for Asterisk having not followed it myself.
Typically there are very stringent interconnect tests required for anybody looking to interface with another operators SS7 network, not like ISDN/PRI lines which are designed for PBX use. Of course networks are moving towards consolidating their IP/Telecomms backbone so SS7 is being routed over IP - http://www.sigtran.org/.

See also

• SS7
• http://www.openss7.org a non-Asterisk SS7 open source project

• Asterisk + Software Radio - Maybe something for the future :)