VoIP Softswitches Playing Increasingly Crucial Role on Service Provider Networks

Of the components that make up a VoIP network, the VoIP softswitch is arguably the most critical. These all-software “switchboard operators” are the workhorses of today’s IP networks -- and they are playing an increasingly crucial role as networks become more complex and consumers gravitate to advanced multimedia services.

The VoIP softswitch performs a lot of different important duties, but its main responsibility is to efficiently route calls across disparate networks, particularly bridging calls from packet-based networks to circuit-switched networks such as the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). To do this, the VoIP softswitch must use various signaling protocols, including, for example, SIP, H.323, MGCP, MEGACO, SS7 and SIGTRAN, so it can deliver voice signals (and in some cases data) across all different types of networks using the shortest and most efficient path. In this regard, the VoIP softswitch plays a critical role in maintaining quality of service, as the shortest available path is always the best path, in terms of signal quality.

VoIP softswitches also play an important role in the security of a service provider’s network. Typically used to control the sets of media gateways deployed at the network edge, the VoIP softswitch handles the registration of each user as they access the service provider’s network, letting only registered users get on and keeping non-registered users (and accidental visitors) off. In addition, many VoIP softswitches are now offering both NAT (Network Address Translation) and PAT (Port Address Translation) and firewall capabilities to enable the connection of different IP networks on different subnets, as well as providing public to private network address translation. Thus today’s VoIP softswitches largely solve the problem of complex transcoding schemes, allowing calls to effortlessly pass through network after network and through, for example, a DSL router’s NAT and firewall, without any serious degradation of the signal.

In addition to “knowing” who each registered subscriber is, the VoIP softswitch ensures that each customer is delivered the correct type of service they ordered from the appropriate servers. Most VoIP softswitches also offer billing functionality to help the service provider properly bill the customer for the services they use (usually based on the amount of time the customer uses each service for). Today’s VoIP softswitches also provide advanced reporting functions so that the service provider can get reports on network activity and keep track of which services are being accessed, and how often.

With all the different functions a VoIP softswitch can perform on an IP network, it can be difficult for a service provider go about choosing the right VoIP softswitch to best meet its needs. Fortunately, most vendors offering VoIP softswitches offer a range of models to meet the needs of every size and type of service provider or enterprise. In addition, because they are software based, these solutions can often be customized to meet a customer’s specific needs.

Dialexia is a software company offering a range of carrier-grade VoIP softswitches, included on-premise and hosted solutions. A pioneer in the world of IP Telephony and call processing, the company helps organizations make the transition to an all-IP communications system for the purpose of enhancing productivity, reducing costs and simplifying administration. With Dialexia’s advanced software, service providers and enterprises gain a highly-scalable and reliable system which can manage telephony, Internet, e-mail and long distance all from one centralized interface. The company’s VoIP softswitches work with all the industry’s leading gateways, thus facilitating easy installation and reliability through full compatibility.

Dialexia just recently announced a new version of its Dial-Gate carrier-class VoIP softswitch billing solution. Based on open standards such as SIP, this highly customizable VoIP softswitch offers programmable routing intelligence and allows network-calling plans can be assigned to endpoints in order to filter calls. The VoIP softswitch also provides real time monitoring, pre/post paid billing, rate/route table management, and CDR report generation. Compatible with MS Exchange, it can be used to offer unifed communications, including voicemail unification, instant messaging and video communication.

In addition to its pre/post paid billing, real time monitoring, and CDR management capabilities, DialGate offers the added option of IP-Tone, which features voicemail (unified or non-unified), caller ID, call forwarding, 3-way conferencing, follow me, assignment of virtual/real DID numbers, as well as account and voice mailbox management via the Web. Meanwhile the VoIP softswitch’s hosted call shop option gives service providers more ways to generate recurring revenue.

In terms of its billing capabilities, the new version of this powerful VoIP softswitch now gives administrators (and agents) the ability to offer customized billing plans for subscriber accounts (monthly billing, one-time billing, or per usage billing), a choice of services to be billed (such as IP to IP free calls and unlimited long distance minutes), email notification of soon to be expired accounts, and the ability to enable/disable E911 features. In addition, a RADIUS Client has been added to support any RADIUS Server, thus enabling service providers to use their existing billing software (providing it is based on the RADIUS protocol).

For service providers who are considering rolling out wireless or even quad play services in the near future, the DialGate VoIP softswitch now enables them to offer subscribers a calling plan that works in conjunction with their cellular phone plan. For example, if a subscriber has a cellular plan with unlimited incoming minutes, but has a limited number of outgoing minutes, the service provider can generate revenue while offering a solution to its subscribers. The advanced communication features of this re-vamped VoIP softswitch include new authentication functionalities for service providers which will enable them to offer subscribers the Call Back ANI plan.

In addition, the new version of the Dial-Gate VoIP softswitch offers a SOAP XML Web Services API to help simplify integration of the softswitch Application Server with existing client's application web portals. This SOAP interface is provided to write SOAP clients in different programming languages such as java, .NET, perl, etc.

So you want to learn more? Well, you obviously came to the right place. For more information about the Dial-Gate VoIP softswitch, click here.

---------

This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it is Associate Editor for Customer Interaction Solutions magazine and Assignment Editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit Patrick Barnard’s columnist page.

Archive