What is a Softswitch: The Backbone of Modern Telecommunications

Softswitches play an important role in all forms of communications, both personally and professionally.

But what is a softswitch exactly?

A softswitch is a component of a software-defined network (SDN) that helps connect different technologies, ensure call quality, and gather any necessary metrics by establishing, maintaining, routing, and terminating sessions in VoIP networks.

However, without understanding what a softswitch does, you may overlook specific offerings from your telecom vendor or specialized offerings that can significantly improve your business.

The right softswitch will ensure high-quality communications with consistent uptime and other necessary features, like usage billing or monitoring.

So, we’ll be breaking down the world of softswitches and to highlight why they’re so critical for modern communications and deserve special attention when choosing a telecom vendor.

TL;DR

A softswitch is a central component of modern telecommunications and facilitates communications across different networks. The software-based nature of this component replaces legacy hardware options, offering better scalability and flexibility in the process.

How Does a Softswitch Work?

A softswitch is a software-based solution that manages voice and related data routing over a network. Softswitches are designed to handle multiple communication protocols, enabling seamless call and data transmission between multiple devices.

Softswitches work by receiving a request for a call, identifying the best path, and routing the call to the correct destination, which may be a landline, mobile phone or VoIP platform.

Let’s dive deeper into how they work by exploring their main components, which are:

• Call routing: The core purpose of a softswitch is to route the call request to the correct participant. A softswitch evaluates the call’s destination and selects the most efficient route to connect both parties. This component is powered by the ability to interface with multiple networks and protocols to determine the call’s route.

• Protocol conversion: Telecom networks use different communication protocols, such as SIP, SS7, and H.323. Softswitches can convert between these protocols to ensure smooth communication from different devices. This capability is critical for bridging the gap between modern and legacy systems.

• Call management: Softswitches also manage the overall process of a call, from initiation to termination. Call management requires setting up the call, maintaining it throughout transmission, and ensuring secure call termination. Additionally, softswitches can track data usage, including call duration and any network-related issues that may arise.
• Media gateway controller: The media gateway controller is the brain of the entire softswitch, serving as the command center and instructing the rest of the network on handling voice and data traffic. The controller works with media gateways, separate components that handle the physical transmission of voice and data packets between networks.
• Signaling gateway: This component converts signaling messages from one protocol to another, allowing different network types to communicate. This is crucial in a world where voice communication spans multiple networks and technologies (such as IP, PSTN, and mobile). A signaling gateway is necessary for a call initiated over the Internet to connect to a traditional landline or mobile phone.

What are Synonyms of the Word “Softswitch”?

The term “softswitch” is sometimes referred to as a “software-based switch” or “IP switch.” These names highlight the shift from traditional hardware-based switches to flexible, software-driven systems that run on general-purpose servers rather than specialized telephony equipment.

How are Softswitches Implemented?

Softswitches are implemented as part of a software-defined mobile network. A software-centric approach makes managing and scaling telecommunications infrastructure much easier than older, hardware-based systems.

The architecture of a softswitch consists of two main components:

• Media gateway: This specialized gateway handles data transfer between networks, converting voice data into packets that can travel across an IP network.
• Call agent: The call agent is the software brain that manages the logic of the call, including routing, signaling, and call setup/teardown.

One of the key benefits of softswitches is their ability to interact with modern IP-based systems and legacy telephony equipment like PSTN. Softswitches bridge this gap and allow organizations to modernize their communication systems without completely overhauling their infrastructure.

How is a Softswitch Different from a Traditional Switch?

Traditional switches, often called Class 5 switches, are hardware-based devices used to route calls within the PSTN. They are fixed, expensive to scale, and lack the flexibility of software-driven solutions.

Conversely, softswitches are software-based, making them more flexible, scalable, and capable of handling voice and data traffic across various networks. While hardware switches served telecoms well in the past, they’re now falling behind softswitches in cost-effectiveness and efficiency.

Unpacking the 5 Types of Softswitches

There are various types of softswitches, but they can broadly be categorized into two main types: Class 4 and Class 5. Classes 1, 2, and 3 have historically existed, but they are less relevant in modern telecommunication infrastructures. These classes can be defined as:

• Class 4: Designed for long-distance call routing between exchanges, primarily in a carrier-to-carrier environment. It is responsible for managing the transfer of calls over a long distance and handling large volumes of voice traffic.
• Class 5: Focuses on local call routing within smaller geographic areas. It handles direct connections between individual users (landlines, mobile devices, or VoIP systems) and the service provider, managing features such as voicemail, call forwarding, and caller ID.

Classes 1, 2, and 3 historically referred to large-scale, long-distance switches in traditional telephony infrastructure. Modern softswitches have largely replaced these but are worth mentioning for context:

• Class 1: National and international long-distance switching.
• Class 2: State or regional level switching.
• Class 3: Local inter-exchange switching.

How to Choose the Right Softswitch

It’s critical to consider the specific needs of your telecommunications infrastructure When choosing a softswitch. Let’s break down some key factors to take into account when choosing your softswitch.

Capability of Handling Landline and Mobile Communication

If your organization handles landline and mobile communications, you’ll need a softswitch to seamlessly route calls between these networks. Keep in mind this includes external parties, so if you’ll be taking calls from clients and customers, this utility is required.

Look for a solution that supports protocol conversion and flexible routing. Make sure you understand exactly what’s available before you sign up.

Call Agents with The Necessary Capabilities

Call agents are the core of the softswitch and manage all logic around call routing, signaling, and call termination. However, while they all strive to meet the same goal, they can vary in the exact capabilities offered.

Evaluate the capabilities of the call agent software to ensure it meets your requirements. For example, while a small business can likely use basic call agent software, a contact center will have much higher requirements for evaluating softswitches.

Billing, Directory Services, or Network Signaling Functions

Many softswitches have built-in tools for managing billing, directory services, and network signaling. These can simplify network management and provide a unified view of your telecommunications operations.

Softswitch vendors can range from offering robust capabilities suited for enterprise users to more barebones plans that are likely fine for many businesses. However, you’ll likely pay more for a service that offers these features.

You’ll need to balance having the necessary features without overpaying for tools you don’t need. Evaluate different vendors, available features, and product tiers to find the right fit.

How Softswitches are Part of a Software-Defined Mobile Network

SDNs have become increasingly common in telecommunications and beyond due to their scalability, cost-effectiveness, and efficiency gains when compared to legacy networks.

Softswitches are a critical component of SDNs, which allows for greater flexibility, scalability, and efficiency in managing communication traffic. They play a critical role in uptime, call quality, and overall user experience.

SDN-based networks use software to control the flow of data across a network, enabling telecom providers to adapt to changing traffic patterns and offer new services without the need for expensive hardware upgrades.

Common Softswitch Use Cases

Softswitches play a central role in a variety of applications within the telecommunications network, working in the background to help keep the world communicating. Let’s take a look at some of the common use cases where we encounter softswitches in everyday life:

• VoIP services: Softswitches are integral to the operation of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services, enabling voice calls to be routed over the Internet. Our white-label softphone infrastructure uses softswitches to provide high-quality services.

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• Mobile networks: Softswitches facilitate the seamless routing of voice and data traffic between mobile networks, which allows users to make calls and use data services from any location.
• Landline to mobile calls: When you call a mobile phone from a landline, or vice versa, softswitches handles the conversion between the different network types. Due to the different protocols used by these technologies, they’re unable to inherently communicate without specialized components.
• Video conferencing: Softswitches also manage data traffic in video conferencing solutions, ensuring that both voice and video packets are transmitted efficiently. As video calls and conferencing become more expected, softswitches make sure they’re reliable and offer the highest quality possible.

You almost certainly already use softswitches in your personal life without ever knowing they’re working in the background to keep all communications running smoothly.

Upgrade to Softswitches to Bridge the Gap Between Legacy and Modern Technologies

Without softswitches, legacy systems and modern networks would struggle to connect and most likely rely on alternative options to make it happen. Fortunately, softswitches have already solved this problem by improving hardware switches and accommodating new technologies in the process.

For businesses, the softswitch plays a vital role in business communications, including quality, reliability, and affordability. If you’re looking for ways to improve in these areas, making sure you have the right softswitch can go far in cutting costs and improving quality.

Acrobits is a leading provider of white-label softphones for those looking to skip the softswitch and get right to a reliable solution. However, our SDK can also give you more granular control over your experience if you’d like to integrate third-party softswitches.

Are you ready to step up your telecommunications? Book a demo today to see how our platform can upgrade how your teams or customers communicate and collaborate.