Short for
software switch, a softswitch is an
API that is used to bridge a traditional
PSTN and
VoIP by linking PSTN to
IP networks and managing traffic that contains a mixture of voice, fax, data and video. Softswitches are able to process the signaling for all types of
packet protocols. Softswitch is a software-based
switching platform, which is opposed to traditional hardware-based switching center technology. Softswitches also are based on
open systems, another difference between them and traditional
proprietary hardware switching systems.
Softswitch is also called media gateway controller, call agent and gatekeeper.
