SS7 Probe is a physical device to obtain signalling and/or bearer information from a telecommunications network

Telecommunications network

A telecommunications network is a collection of terminals, links and nodes which connect together to enable telecommunication between users of the terminals. Networks may use circuit switching or message switching. Each terminal in the network must have a unique address so messages or connections...

, such as the PSTN

Public switched telephone network

The public switched telephone network is the network of the world's public circuit-switched telephone networks. It consists of telephone lines, fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, communications satellites, and undersea telephone cables, all inter-connected by...

 or a corporate telephone system. The probe passively monitors the E1/T1

Digital Signal 1

Digital signal 1 is a T-carrier signaling scheme devised by Bell Labs. DS1 is a widely used standard in telecommunications in North America and Japan to transmit voice and data between devices. E1 is used in place of T1 outside North America, Japan, and South Korea...

 or SDH

SDH

SDH may refer to:* Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, in telecommunications* Secure Digital Host Controller, in computing* Saradhna, a railway station in India* The Shubnikov-De Haas effect, also see Fermi surface...

/SONET

Sonet

Sonet may refer to:* Sonet Records, European record label* Synchronous optical networking * Saab Sonett...

 bearers, and extracts the signalling information for onward presentation to a network application

Application software

Application software, also known as an application or an "app", is computer software designed to help the user to perform specific tasks. Examples include enterprise software, accounting software, office suites, graphics software and media players. Many application programs deal principally with...

. A passive probe does not affect the network under observation, and this is achieved through use of protected monitor points on the network distribution frame

Distribution frame

In telecommunications, a distribution frame is a passive device which terminates cables, allowing arbitrary interconnections to be made.For example, the Main Distribution Frame located at a telephone central office terminates the cables leading to subscribers on the one hand, and cables leading to...

s.

Applications

The network application may be Lawful Interception or a revenue-generating application such as Missed call

Missed call

A missed call is a telephone call that is not answered by its intended recipient prior to the termination of ringing on the recipient's end. The ringing may be terminated by the caller simply by hanging up the receiver of a landline phone, or pressing the appropriate button on a mobile phone, or if...

. Probes are also extensively used in Operational support systems (OSS).

Passive monitoring probes provide a network and switch vendor-independent solution for network applications.

Lawful Interception

Lawful interception

Lawful interception

Lawful interception is obtaining communications network data pursuant to lawful authority for the purpose of analysis or evidence. Such data generally consist of signalling or network management information or, in fewer instances, the content of the communications...

 concerns the delivery of calls and data to government approved reception centers. Interception is authorized through a legal framework, such as UK RIPA

Ripa

Ripa is a Latin word, meaning the bank of a river. The word is part of the name of a number of places, mainly in Italy.Ripa may refer to:-People:*Albert de Rippe , Italian lutenist and composer, also known as Alberto da Ripa...

  or US CALEA

Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act

The Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act is a United States wiretapping law passed in 1994, during the presidency of Bill Clinton...

  or Russia SORM

SORM

SORM is a technical system for search and surveillance in the internet...

.

Technology

SS7 probe technology provides the correct physical interface to the telecommunications network. Opportunities for probing occur in both traditional TDM infrastructure as well as in 3G

3G

3G or 3rd generation mobile telecommunications is a generation of standards for mobile phones and mobile telecommunication services fulfilling the International Mobile Telecommunications-2000 specifications by the International Telecommunication Union...

 networks. The different characteristics and infrastructure used for these interfaces is reflected in the types of interfaces to be monitored. These range from E1 or T1 2Mb/s or 1.5Mbs to SDH

SDH

SDH may refer to:* Synchronous Digital Hierarchy, in telecommunications* Secure Digital Host Controller, in computing* Saradhna, a railway station in India* The Shubnikov-De Haas effect, also see Fermi surface...

 and SONET

Sonet

Sonet may refer to:* Sonet Records, European record label* Synchronous optical networking * Saab Sonett...

 STM-x OC-x multiplexes.

Vendors

Probe Vendors such as BTT Ltd, Corelatus, Dialogic

Dialogic

The English terms dialogic and dialogism often refer to the concept used by the Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin in his work of literary theory, The Dialogic Imagination. Bakhtin contrasts the dialogic and the "monologic" work of literature. The dialogic work carries on a continual dialogue...

, ecTel, GL Communications, Septier Communication

Septier Communication

Septier Communication is a company that develops and markets advanced telecom solutions for service providers and law enforcement agencies. These include cellular location determination infrastructure, lawful interception systems, fraud management applications, network surveillance products, and a...

 , Tekno Telecom's and Telesoft Technologies

Telesoft Technologies

Telesoft Technologies is a privately held UK-based limited company specializing in telephony equipment for monitoring and media applications for fixed, wireless and IP networks...

 provide APIs and options for software vendors to implement applications.

Applications served by probes include solutions for Inter-Carrier Billing, Revenue Loss (ByPass/Phantom Traffic and Analysis Services), Fraud Prevention, Billing, Local Number Portability, Quality of Service, Surveillance (Global Call Trace), Maintenance (Protocol Analysis), Traffic Engineering (Link and Trunk Forecasting) Alarming and SS7, Sigtran and IS-41 monitoring.

Some probe vendors also offer the applications as well as the probes.