network indicator (SS7, Q:704) (NI)

The Network Indicator(NI) is a 2-bit long data field for the national indicator in SS7 signaling.

The Network Indicator data field is in the Message Transfer Part( MTP) of the Message Signal Unit( MSU) and is used to distinguish whether a message is intended for a national or international network. It is part of the Service Subscriber Field( SSF) in the Signalling Information Octet( SIO). If a 0 is entered in the NI data field, then it is an international identifier, the 1 is reserved, a 2 is a national identifier, and the 3 is for other national identifiers. The Network Indicator is described in ITU-T Recommendation Q.704.