Signalling transfer point, method and telecommunications network allowing the transparent consolidation of switches

摘要

A signaling transfer point (STP) (or Signaling Server Global (SSG)) (200) is described herein which includes a processor (218) and a mapping database (210) that can depending on the direction of a message change the Origination Point Code (OPC) or the Destination Point Code (DPC) and the Circuit Identification Code (CIC) contained in the message. As such, the STP (200) can receive a message (210) from a foreign switch (208) located in another telecommunications network and redirect the message (214) that was originally destined for an old switch (204), which is in the process being removed or has been removed, to a new switch (206) which now hosts the trunks (202') previously connected to the old switch (204). The return traffic (222) from the new switch (200) is also processed by the STP (200) so that when the foreign switch (208) receives the message (224), it will appear like it originated from the old switch (204). As a result, the user of the STP (200) can transparently consolidate switches without affecting the SS7 database contained in other carrier networks.