Softswitch
What is Softswitch?
A softswitch (software switch) is the core call-control system that routes voice traffic between networks — deciding how a call gets from its origin to its destination, applying least-cost routing, and handling protocol translation between SIP, SS7, and other signaling standards — without relying on dedicated telecom hardware. It's the modern replacement for a physical circuit-switched exchange, and it's the layer that ultimately determines how a wholesale voice carrier terminates outbound calls onto the public telephone network.
More detail
A softswitch handles call signaling and routing decisions separately from the actual voice media path, which is typically handled by a media gateway or SBC alongside it.
Wholesale voice carriers use a softswitch to apply least-cost routing across multiple downstream carriers per destination, balancing call quality and termination cost route by route.
Frequently asked
- Is a softswitch the same thing as an SBC?
- No. A softswitch makes call-routing and signaling decisions — where a call should go — while an SBC (Session Border Controller) sits at the network edge to secure, normalize, and police the SIP signaling and media itself.
- Why do wholesale voice carriers rely on a softswitch instead of physical switching hardware?
- A softswitch runs call routing and least-cost-routing logic in software, which scales more flexibly and cheaply than dedicated circuit-switched hardware, while still interconnecting with legacy SS7 networks where needed.
See also
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