Editing Intelligent Network (section)

{{Short description|Standard network architecture for telecom networks}}
{{More footnotes|date=April 2009}}

The '''Intelligent Network''' ('''IN''') is the standard [[network architecture]] specified in the ITU-T Q.1200 series recommendations.<ref>{{cite web | title=Q.1200 : General series Intelligent Network Recommendation structure | website=ITU | date=2007-05-14 | url=https://www.itu.int/rec/T-REC-Q.1200/en/}}</ref> It is intended for fixed as well as [[Global System for Mobile Communications|mobile]] [[telecommunications|telecom]] networks. It allows operators to differentiate themselves by providing [[value-added service]]s in addition to the standard telecom services such as [[PSTN]], [[ISDN]] on fixed networks, and [[GSM services]] on [[mobile phones]] or other mobile devices.

The intelligence is provided by network nodes on the [[service layer]], distinct from the [[telephone exchange|switching]] layer of the [[core network]], as opposed to solutions based on intelligence in the core [[telephone exchange|switches]] or equipment. The IN nodes are typically owned by [[telecommunications service provider]]s such as a [[telephone company]] or [[mobile phone operator]].

IN is supported by the [[Signaling System 7|Signaling System #7 (SS7)]] protocol between network switching centers and other network nodes owned by network operators.