Point code


An SS7 point code is similar to an IP address in an IP network. It is a unique address for a node, used in MTP layer 3 to identify the destination of a message signal unit.
In such a message you will find an OPC and a DPC ; sometimes documents also refer to it as a signaling point code. Depending on the network, a point code can be 24 bits, 16 bits, or 14 bits in length.
ANSI point codes use 24 bits, mostly in 8-8-8 format.
ITU point codes use 14 bits and are written in 3-8-3 format.
Fourteen bit point codes can be written in a number of formats. The most common formats are decimal number, hexadecimal number, or 3-8-3 format.
Twenty-four bit point codes may be written in decimal, hexadecimal, or 8-8-8 format.

Abbreviations