Soft Switch is creating Switching Functionality of a Telephone Exchange in a Server and all functions of Switching are carried out using software. Typical architecture of Soft Switch is as follows:

Typical Architecture of Next Generation Network is as follows:

A softswitch is typically used to control connections at the junction point between circuit and packet networks. A single device containing both the switching logic and the switching fabric can be used for this purpose; however, modern technology has led to a preference for decomposing this device into a Call Agent and a Media Gateway. The Call Agent takes care of functions like billing, call routing, signalling, call services and so on and is the 'brains' of the outfit. A Call Agent may control several different Media Gateways in geographically dispersed areas over a TCP/IP link. The Media Gateway connects different types of digital media stream together to create an end-to-end path for the media (voice and data) in the call. It may have interfaces to connect to traditional PSTN networks like DS1 or DS3 ports (E1 or STM1 in the case of non-US networks), it may have interfaces to connect to ATM and IP networks and in the modern system will have Ethernet interfaces to connect VoIP calls. The call agent will instruct the media gateway to connect media streams between these interfaces to connect the call - all transparently to the end-users.

The softswitch generally resides in a building owned by the telecommunication company called a central office. The central office will have telephone trunks to carry calls to other offices owned by the telecommunication company and to other telecommunication companies (aka the Public Switched Telephone Network or PSTN). Looking towards the end users from the switch, the Media Gateway may be connected to several access devices. These access devices can range from small Analog Telephone Adaptors (ATA) which provide just one RJ11 telephone jack to an Integrated Access Device (IAD) or PBX which may provide several hundred telephone connections.

Typically the larger access devices will be located in a building owned by the telecommunication company near to the customers they serve. Each end user can be connected to the IAD by a simple pair of copper wires.The medium sized devices and PBXs will typically be used in a business premises and the single line devices would probably be found in residential premises.In more recent times (i.e., the IP Multimedia Subsystem or IMS), the Softswitch element is represented by the Media Gateway Controller (MGC) element, and the term "Softswitch" is rarely used in the IMS context, but another word of AGCF(Access Gateway Control Function).

Softswitch provides Multiple Services Support for Voice, Video and Data for both Fixed and Mobile Networks.Softswitch enables easy deployment in the network. Softswitch provides the flexibility to configure all external network elements like Gatekeeper, Media Gateway, Signaling Gateway, Application Server, etc. Policies can be configured by customizing Routing, Service Control and Address Translation. Further, product related configurations for initialization, provisioning and redundancy are available through open APIs.

Softswitch into different product architectures and offers its services in integrating and porting the Softswitch solution onto the target.

Services

• Low-level call management APIs for INAP interfaces
• High-level call management APIs for Parlay adapter
• SIP interface to Application server
• CLASS services hosted natively
• Legacy and Enhanced services supported

Interworking Call Control

• IN CS2 – AIN 0.3 BCSM based call control
• Signaling Adaptations Supporting diverse SCN and packet protocols
• Enables easy integration of new signaling protocols

PSTN Interfaces

• SS7 termination (ANSI or ITU-T) either through external SG or direct
• Dual-seizure, reset, group blocking/unblocking supported
• Supports third-party pause and re-routing
• CAS R1/R2 supported on PSTN & H.323 v2 on packet network
• ISDN Q.931 interface supported

Packet Interfaces

• H.323 subscriber and trunk interface
• SIP subscriber and SIP-T trunk interface
• MGCP (RFC 2705) gateway interface
• MEGACO/H.248 gateway interface

Bearer Control

• H.248/MGCP based Gateway Control
• Ability to manage multiple transactions
• Enabling media control for packet-TDM inter-working
• Ability to manage various gateway types (Access, Trunking and Residential)

Resource Management

• Route Information maintained
• SCN and PDN terminations and associated data maintained
• Resource allocation, de-allocation and maintenance
• Local and External Address Translations supported
• Single point routing and distribution of messages to multiple MGs

Recom Systems Limited can arrange partners for you or arrange supply of Soft Switch for details email sales@recomsys.net