Telecom Switching Systems

Introduction
Telecommunication means the
exchange of information between two
distant places.
• Transfer of information from an entity at one place to
an entity at another place
• Information can be in the form of data, voice or
symbol.
• The entities can be human beings, computers, facsimile
machines, telegraphy machines, phones or so on.
• Who initiates the call is referred to as the Calling
Subscriber
• whom the call is destined is the Called Subscriber.
Need for Switching Exchanges

• The point-to-point connection for establishing

communication requires the telephone sets to be linked
using wires. To understand the complication, let us
consider a network of 5 subscribers.
for n entities, we need n(n-1)/2 links
For Fully connected network
 Switching Systems
• The subscribers instead of getting connected directly to
one another, are connected to a switching office and
then to the required subscriber.

• Signaling is required for the switching system to

establish or release a connection. The functions
performed by a switching system in establishing and
releasing connections are known as Control Functions.
Telephone Model
• the dialer part and the microphone are
connected to a stationary wooden plank;
and the speaker to listen, was connected
by a wire at the side.
• The top portion of the telephone has
two bells connected - these bells ring
when there is an incoming call.
• The telephone sets of the calling
subscriber and the called subscriber are
connected through a switching system
or a telephone exchange in order to
establish the calls requested.
Classification of Switching Systems
• The switching systems in the
early stages were operated
manually
• Electromechanical Switching
Systems - Here, mechanical
switches are electrically
operated.
• Electronic Switching
Systems – Here, the usage of
electronic components such as
diodes, transistors and ICs are
used for the switching
purposes.
Electromechanical Switching Systems
• The Electromechanical switching systems are a combination of
mechanical and electrical switching types. The electrical circuits and
the mechanical relays are deployed in them. The Electromechanical
switching systems are further classified into the following.

• Step-by-step
• The Step-by-step switching system is also called the Strowger
switching system after its inventor A B Strowger. The control
functions in a Strowger system are performed by circuits associated
with the switching elements in the system.
• Crossbar
• The Crossbar switching systems have hard-wired control
subsystems which use relays and latches. These subsystems have
limited capability and it is virtually impossible to modify them to
provide additional functionalities.
Electronic Switching Systems
• The Electronic Switching systems are operated with the
help of a processor or a computer which control the
switching timings.
• storing the programs on a processor or computer is
called the Stored Program Control (SPC)
• Space Division Switching - In space division
switching, a dedicated path is established between the
calling and the called subscribers for the entire
duration of the call.
• Time Division Switching. In time division switching,
sampled values of speech signals are transferred at
fixed intervals.
 Telecommunication Network
• . The switching systems are connected using lines called
the Trunks. The lines that run to the Subscriber
premises are called the Subscriber Lines.
N indicates the inlets and the
outlets are indicated by M. So, a
switching network has N inlets
and M outlets.
Basics of a Switching System
• Inlets and Outlets -The set of input circuits of an
exchange are called Inlets and the set of output
circuits are called the Outlets.
• Switching Matrix-The hardware used to establish
connection between inlets and outlets is called the
Switching Matrix or the Switching Network.
 Types of Connections
• There are four types of connections that can be established in
a telecommunication network. The connections are as follows:
• Local call connection between two subscribers in the
system.
• Outgoing call connection between a subscriber and an
outgoing trunk.
• Incoming call connection between an incoming trunk and a
local subscriber.
• Transit call connection between an incoming trunk and an
outgoing trunk.
Folded Network
• Symmetric Network, which means N=M. A network
where the outlets are connected to the inlets, is called
the Folded Network. As one connection can be given to one line per
time, only N/2 connections are established for N
inlets of a folded network. Such a network can be
called as Non-blocking network. In a non-
blocking network, as long as the called subscriber
is free, a calling subscriber will be able to
establish a connection to the called subscriber.
 Blocking Network
• If there are no switching paths free in the network, the call
requested will be denied, where the subscriber is said to be
blocked and the network is called the Blocking Network.
• In a blocking network, the number of simultaneous switching
paths is less than the maximum number of simultaneous
conversations that can take place.
• The probability that a user may get blocked is called the
Blocking Probability. A good design should ensure low
blocking probability.
Switching System
• It provides the switching paths
between the called subscribers
and the calling subscribers
• Control Subsystem
✓controls the making and
breaking of the connection by
sensing the signal transfer on
the lines.
✓The control sub system sends
out signaling information to the
subscriber and other exchanges
connected to the outgoing
trunks.
• Signaling- three different forms of signaling:
✓ Subscriber loop signaling
✓ Interexchange signaling
✓ Intraexchange or register signaling
• A switching system is composed of elements that perform
switching, control and signaling functions.
• Trunk Interface
✓The Trunk lines used for connections between the
switching systems, are terminated at this port. The Trunk
interface is the point where the trunk lines are connected
to the system.
• Subscriber Line Interface
✓ The subscriber line interface is the point where the lines
from the subscribers are connected to the system.
• Line Scanning Unit
✓The line scanning unit senses and obtains the signaling
information from the respective lines. The information
obtained from these lines are given to the control sub
system to identify the inlets and outlets.
• Distributor Units
✓ The distributor units are used for distributing or sending
out the signaling information on the respective lines. The
distribution of information through the trunk lines, is
done through the distribution units.
• Operator Console
✓The operator console permits interaction with the
switching system for maintenance and administrative
purposes.
Service Circuit Interface
✓The service circuit interface provides interaction between
circuits for maintenance and testing purposes.
• Junctures
✓The Junctures is a junction that provides a folded
connection for the local subscribers and the service
circuits. If the called subscriber and the calling subscriber
both are local, then the folded connection helps in making
the connection to a local call, whereas the trunk lines will
not be in use.
•Direct and Indirect
• The switching systems are of the following two types:
• the direct control switching system
• the indirect control switching system

• The Switching systems where the control sub systems form an

integral part of the network are called the Direct Control Switching
systems. For example, the Strowger switching system.

•Indirect Control Switching System

• The Switching system in which the control sub system is present
outside the switching network is called the Indirect Control
Switching system or the Common Control Switching system
examples -Crossbar switching system, Electronic switching system
or Stored Program Control method of switching systems.
 Automatic Switching System
Dialing
Pulse dialing
A train of pulses is used to represent a digit in the subscriber number
Successive Digits are distinguished by a pulse (interdigit gap)
Two successive trains are distinguished
from one another by a pause in between
them, known as the Inter-digit gap.
Rotary Dial Telephone
• A rotary dial phone uses
the following for
implementing pulse
dialing:
• Finger plate and spring
• Shaft, gear and Pinion
wheel
• Pawl and ratchet
mechanism
• Impulsing cam and
suppressor cam or a
trigger mechanism
 Signaling Tones
• Functions of Signaling Tones
• Respond to the calling subscriber to obtain the identification of the called
subscriber (Dial Tone )
• Inform the calling subscriber that the call is being established (Call in
Progress Tone )
• Ring the called party (Ring Tone )
• Inform the calling subscriber if the called party is busy (Busy Tone )
• Inform the calling subscriber if the called party is unobtainable for some
reason (Number Unobtainable Tone )
Signaling Tones
 Strowger Switching
• There are two types of selectors; these selectors form the
building blocks for the switching systems.
• Uni-selector-The Uniselector has a single selector pole
and multiple throws to reach the bank of contacts for
each number dialed
• Two-motion selector-The two-motion selector has two
rotary switches for vertical and horizontal stepping
movement, to reach the bank of contacts.

• Both of these selectors are constructed using electro-

mechanical rotary switches..
Uni-selector Switching
Two-motion Selectors

there are 11 vertical positions and 11

horizontal contacts in each vertical position.
The lowest vertical position and the first
horizontal contact in each vertical level are
home positions, and the remaining ones are
actual switching positions. Thus, the wiper in
a two-motion selector has access to 100
switching contacts.
 Step-by-step Switching (34) Electromechanical
automatic telephone exchange - YouTube
• What does “step-by-step ” mean?
• The wiper steps forward by one contact at a time and moves as many
contacts as the number of dial pulses received
• A step-by-step switching is also called the Direct control
system
• This system has three main stages of configuration.
Line equipment part
• Line equipment part (Preselector stage) Function:
• Provide access to common switching resources
• Category:
➢Selector hunters
➢Line finder
Selector hunter
• The Selector Hunter
circuit, establishes the line
to make a call as
immediately as the calling
subscriber lifts up the
handset to make a call.
• There is one dedicated
selector hunter for each
subscriber to search and
seize a free selector from
the switching matrix part.
• Usually 24-outlet
uniselectors are used as
selector hunters.
Selector hunter based access
Line finder
• Associated with the first
set of selectors in
switching matrix part,
there is one line finder
for each selector.
• Usually built using
uniselectors or two-
motion selectors.
• Step-by-Step Telephone
Switch Line Finder HD - Bing
video
 Step-by-step Switching
• Switching network part (group selector stage + final stage)
 Step-by-step Switching
• Control functions
• Performed by circuits associated with the selectors.
• Contact banks:
➢Control and supervisory signals (P-wire/private~)
➢Voice signals (positive & negative wires) Control and
supervisory signals are carried from stage to stage by
means of contacts in one of the banks.
• A selector X is said to have seized another selector Y in
the next stage when positive, negative and private wires
have been connected to those of Y.
Selector control circuits
• Guarding circuit
• Impulsing circuit
• Homing circuit
• Metering circuit
• Ring-trip circuit
• Alarm circuit
Control circuits
• Guarding circuit
• An essential feature of all the selectors
• Making the selector busy as soon as it is seized.
• The guarding condition remains set as long as the call is not
terminated.
• The guarding condition is indicated by an earth on the P-wire.
Impulsing circuit
• An essential part of all those selectors which have to
respond to dialing pulses, i.e. group and final
selectors
• The circuit is designed around 3 relays:
• 1 Fast acting: respond to dialing pulses and pass them
to P-wire.
• 2 slow acting:
Maintaining guarding conditions
Recognizing the end of a pulse train
Homing circuit
• All the selectors need homing circuit.
• Function: At the end of a conversation, release all the selectors and
make them return to their home positions.
Metering circuit
• A special feature of the final selectors.
• Function: Register a call against the calling party as soon as the called
party answers. The circuit drives a meter containing counting
mechanism.
Ring-trip circuit
• A part of the final selectors.
• Function: Control the ringing current to the called party and the
ringing tone to the calling party.
• Both the ringing current and the ringing tone are cut off by the ring-
trip circuit as soon as the called party answers the call.
Alarm circuit
• Provide visual and audible indications of any fault or undesirable
condition creeping into the selector circuits.
• Three types of faults detected:
• Off-hook condition: short circuit in the subscriber line or the
subscriber not having replaced his handset on the hook.
• Called-subscriber-held: the handset of called subscriber is not
replaced properly.
• Release held: sense the failure of a selector to return to home
position.
 Design Parameters
• Design parameters
• Number of subscriber lines, N
• Total number of switching elements, S
Cost of the switching system, C
C = S X Cs + Cc + Cch
• Cs – cost per switching element
• Cc – cost of the common control subsystem
• Cch – cost of the common hardware
• Switching capacity, SC
• Traffic handling capacity, TC TC=2(SC)/ N
• Equipment utilization factor, EUF
• EUF=(number of SE in operation) / (total number of SE)
SE stands for Switching Element Number of switching
stages, K
• Average switching time per stage, Tst
• Call setup time, Ts= KTst + T0
• Cost capacity index, CCI= SC / (C/N )