#retail softswitch

The VoIP world has a whole gamut of solutions and each of these VoIP software platforms has its own role to play. A VoIP Softswitch solution is a pivotal system that indeed bridges the gaps between different VoIP solutions and completes the whole ecosystem of the SIP based telecommunication world. There are two different VoIP Softswitch solutions that are majorly used to bridge this gap and one of the most widespread is the retail VoIP Softswitch. 

A retail VoIP Softswitch solution is commonly used to meet end to end communication needs of small offices, home offices, small businesses and even enterprises. This system has a wide array of communication and collaboration features to offer. There are several amazing advantages of using these communication features and all this has made this Softswitch system so popular among businesses and enterprises. They may use it with a hosted or license based model. 

In a traditional scenario, all features of this VoIP software are built to meet the voice calling needs of a business. Some of the most popular features of VoIP Softswitch solutions for the retail market are IVR (Interactive Voice Response), call transfer, call forwarding, call mute and unmute, call park and pick-up, conference calling, call snooping, and more. This is the reason a majority of businesses focus on using this software only to meet their voice communication needs. However, a retail Softswitch solution is not bound to offer just phone calling and related features. There are several other modes of communication available with this Softswitch. 

Voicemail and messaging are two valued added communication modes available in the retail VoIP Softswitch solutions. There are several advantages of using these communication channels in a business. 

Major advantages of using a retail VoIP Softswitch for voicemail and messaging 

Cost benefits

One of the major advantages of using this VoIP Softswitch solution for voicemail and messaging is cost. The cost of adding these two communication channels into a traditional telecommunication system can be very expensive. Comparatively, the VoIP system has several providers of messaging and voicemail features, which make the cost per message quite low and affordable for businesses. Thus, similar to all other VoIP based solutions, the biggest advantage of using this retail Softswitch solution for these two types of communication is saving money and reducing expenses. 

Value added features

VoIP has made it possible to customize communication solutions to meet tailored business needs. This is near impossible with the traditional system. Many software providers take advantage of this plus point of VoIP and develop more feature rich solutions. The retail VoIP Softswitch solutions provide value added features along with offering a plain facility for using voicemail and messaging. Some of the major features are listed below: 

Forwarding: You can forward the voicemail or text message automatically to any other number. 

Group messaging: A voicemail message or an SMS or chat message will be sent to a group of people instead of just one person. 

Logs: The system will keep logs of each message and that can be reviewed by the managers. 

To email or phone facility: A copy of a voicemail message or text message will be sent to the email or phone of the recipient. 

Transcription of a voicemail message: The system can also perform speech to text and send a transcribed message as an SMS or email to the receipt. 

Concluding notes 

A retail VoIP Softswitch solution has several unexplored features. Voicemail and messaging are these types of features that can change the whole dynamics with their benefits. Along with the two mentioned in this article, there are several advantages of using stated communication channels and related features available in a retail VoIP Softswitch. 

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Each VoIP software development company builds VoIP Softswitch solutions with the top features. Each solution whether it is a hybrid switch, wholesale or retail Softswitch will have all the standard and conventional features. Moreover, the developers of class 4 and class 5 Softswitch solutions will add some fascinating out-of-the-box features to make these solutions available for the top service providers and help them thrive successfully in the competitive VoIP industry. 

Both retail and wholesale VoIP markets have a plethora of business opportunities, but at the same time, these industry verticals also have fierce competition. There are so many providers already across the globe that are catering to the retail VoIP and wholesale VoIP needs of end users and businesses with respectively a class 5 Softswitch solution and class 4 Softswitch software as the profit margins and opportunities are high for the confident and competitive businesses, more startup companies are mushrooming in this industry. To land up, survive, sustain, and grow in this industry one needs nothing less than the best VoIP Softswitch solution. 

Each VoIP Softswitch provider claims to offer the best switch, but they prove to be the ordinary ones. Thus, when you look for the right switch among available Softswitch solutions, you need to make sure that your switch is competitive. It will give you the required competitive advantage to win the market despite the fierceness of the competition. Always remember that customers are ready to pay more if they receive more and better services. 

Three must have elements in class 4 and class 5 Softswitch solutions 

It is necessary to explore and check the must have elements in the switch before you buy them. This article shares the top three must have elements in the best VoIP Softswitch solution. 

1. Extensive and required features

As mentioned earlier, in general, all VoIP Softswitch providers include all major and standard features with a few advanced functionalities in the wholesale Softswitch and retail Softswitch solutions. They often impress customers with the long list of features available in the software. However, the right element to look for is the list of features that are vital, plus, competitive. For example, a class 4 Softswitch software solution majorly focuses on different types of call routing strategies. Thus, it will have different call distribution rules. To find the right switch, one needs to look for necessary rules like LCR, priority based routing, etc. Moreover, one must look for advanced rules like lossless routing. 

2. Comprehensive VoIP billing system

VoIP billing is an unavoidable need for wholesale or retail VoIP providers. Thus, class 4 and/or class 5 Softswitch must have an all-inclusive VoIP billing system integrated as an integral feature into it. It must not support just a few basic features. It must have all advanced and required VoIP billing features to automate the whole or partial flow of invoicing and billing. 

3. Customization capabilities

The wholesale or retail Softswitch that you use must be easy to customize. It is not only about white labeling the system as many VoIP Softswitch providers offer these capabilities in a switch. In addition to that, these Softswitch solutions have to be flexible enough to support any type of customization. Whether you need to customize the theme, modulate an existing feature, or develop a new feature, your switch must accommodate these requests. 

Concluding notes 

ITSP (Internet Telephony Service Provider) business is gigantic and it is widespread. From the highly developed countries like the USA to developing countries like Africa use services and offerings from ITSPs. There are so many amazing solutions and managed services offered by ITSPs. VoIP Softswitch based communication solutions are one of the major services offered by them. 

The ITSPs serve local and international customers. They cater to B2B (Business to Business) and B2C (Business to Customer) audiences in the domestic and international markets. To provide end to end services ITSP businesses need to use different VoIP solutions. The class 4 Softswitch and class 5 Softswitch are two commonly used solutions by these businesses. 

The best Softswitch can be any one of the wholesale and retail Softswitch solutions or it can be both of them. But, the question is how one can define the best Softswitch solution for ITSP. I will shed more light on this in this article. 

1. Features 

The best switch or software solution is the one that has all the required features. If it is missing out on some of the vital features, then it is of no use. For example, a class 4 Softswitch solution must have all major call routing strategies. In addition to that, if it also has a hybrid routing facility, then it is even better as it can give you a competitive edge. 

2. Add-on facility and features 

Some features are considered vital while using a retail or wholesale Softswitch solution. But, it might not come as an integral feature of the software. For example, a VoIP billing solution is one of the must have tools in an ITSP business. It is possible that the VoIP Softswitch does not have this feature because it is not just a set of few features. It is the whole functional software that one would need. In this case, even as an add-on, a business should be able to add these missing features or solutions in their Softswitch solution.  

3. Security 

In an ITSP business, security threats are common. Hack attacks and threats can make administrators lead to sleepless nights. Carelessness in this regard can invite dangerous losses such as monetarily loss, data loss, client loss, reputation loss, etc. Thus, the best solution is one that has a thorough security mechanism implemented into the system. For example, fraud detection and management software made available with class 4 and class 5 Softswitch solutions help in keeping the software, data, infrastructure, and clients secured. 

4. Scalability  

An ITSP business is one of the growing businesses. With the right strategy, skills, and tools, an ITSP can grow in leaps and bounds. Thus, all software solutions used to cater to clients must match the growth bandwidth of the business. The best retail or wholesale Softswitch solution is the one that is highly scalable and does not take too long to scale up the capacity of the software. 

5. Flexibility  

Another important factor that defines the best characteristics of the Softswitch solution in the ITSP business is its flexibility. It must be compatible with all operating systems and platforms. It must be flexible enough to handle changing environments, hosting platforms, etc.  

Concluding notes 

Retail and wholesale Softswitch is a common word used in the VoIP industry. Finding details of a wholesale Softswitch is quite easy as it is a popular topic, but what about a retail Softswitch solution? 

There is ample knowledge available about the retail switch as well, but many people miss it out because of the synonym names used for this VoIP Softswitch such as a class 5 Softswitch, SIP trunking solution, multi tenant IP PBX, or an IP PBX system. You might be recalling some articles read on these topics. Don’t worry, I will cover all major facts and information related to this popular VoIP solution. 

What is a class 5 Softswitch solution popular for? 

It is difficult to define a retail Softswitch solution for you without using technical words. Of course, in simple words, it is a VoIP solution that comprises a business phone system driven by IP telephony benefits. Usually, it is used by the top VoIP service providers to offer business phone services to their customers. Some enterprises also use this software to strengthen business communication and collaboration. 

It means this SIP trunking solution is popular for running its amazing communication and collaboration features. 

Key features for class 5 VoIP Softswitch solution: 

Depending on the provider of this VoIP Softswitch solution, the features may vary. Some of the common features available in this software are listed below: 

Voice communication 

Instant messaging 

Voicemail support 

Call transfer 

Call forwarding 

Call transfer 

Find me, follow me 

Condition based call routing 

Conference calling 

Call queues 

IVR 

Anonymous call rejection 

DND support  

Extension dialing 

DID mapping 

Call recording 

Call hunting  

Call routing (LCR and more) 

Emergency number mapping 

Call detail reports (CDR)  

And more 

Some VoIP Softswitch providers also add routing and billing platform features into this switch. This helps in automating the VoIP billing and call routing operations for VoIP service providers. VoIP billing solution is necessary for service providers if they use retail Softswitch to run business phone system offerings. 

What are the major advantages of using a class 5 Softswitch? 

Depending on the purpose of using this SIP trunking solution, you can leverage multiple advantages of this software. Let’s explore the common ones. 

1. Strengthened communication and collaboration 

One of the major advantages of using this switch is bridging the communication gap. This software provides advanced and value added communication features to its users. This helps in leveraging all benefits related to consolidated business communication. 

2. Reduced expenses 

The retail Softswitch solution uses a SIP based calling mechanism, which is why it is also referred to as a SIP trunking solution. This drastically reduces communication expenses for the users of this telephony solution. It also supports free extension to extension calling, which eliminates costs related to the internal team. 

How to find the best class 5 VoIP Softswitch for you? 

There are plenty of providers of this Softswitch, but it is necessary to check the following before making a purchase: 

Check the features 

Check the portfolio of the service provider 

You don’t need to make major changes in the infrastructure 

It does not increase communication cost 

Technical support is affordable  

Concluding notes 

A retail Softswitch solution can help you leverage several advantages for your own businesses, as well as, it can give you a platform to offer services and generate revenue from it. This Softswitch is popular among businesses and often referred to by different names. Don’t get confused by the name as you already know what it actually means.