What Is a softswitch? Why Should Communications Providers Consider Taking a Softswitch Partition with Nexbridge?
Historically, routing telephone calls was a manual task that was carried out by telephone operators using physical switchboards, but as technology improved over a number of years, this whole process has been replaced by purpose built computer hardware. More recently, with the emergence of VoIP telephony, technology has progressed to a level where a computer server is able to run custom software that allows it to handle and distribute telephone calls. This type of server is known as a Softswitch.
When compared to purpose built hardware that has been used in the past, a Softswitch is very attractive proposition for businesses on the basis that they are relatively inexpensive to build, and can be customised and complemented very easily with complimenting them with additional equipment. For example, a Softswitch can only typically deal with IP (internet protocol) to IP calls, and an example of this would be a call made from a VoIP telephone to another VoIP telephone with the softswitch connecting the two. By adding a SIP (session initiation protocol) convertor to the Softswitch, a call that originates on the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) can be converted to IP and dealt with by the Softswitch without any issues. This example serves to illustrate one of the benefits of using a Softswitch over purpose built computer hardware.
Why should CPs consider taking a Softswitch Partition with Nexbridge?
Teleswitch from Nexbridge is a Softswitch partitioning service that was introduced to meet the demands of a growing number of organisations that wanted to lease a Softswitch partition instead of building and monitoring their own network. Not only is a Softswitch partition a much cheaper solution when compared to the costs that would be incurred in provisioning, maintaining, and monitoring a new network, but there are also numerous other benefits for businesses using this service, including:
- The ability to host your own number ranges on a Softswitch partition, or alternatively take a sub-allocation of Nexbridge numbers.
- Teleswitch offers access to a well established and highly resilient network, with capacity that is readily available as your organisation grows on a pay-as-you-grow basis.
- Real time access to CDRs.
- Access to BT IP Exchange and other Tier One peers.
When you consider the benefits that many businesses are enjoying by using Softswitches, it isn’t difficult to understand why the use of Softswitch technology is being adopted by a growing number of organisations, and is the dominant 21st century trend.