Class-5 telephone switch comparison and selection guide

Choosing the right Class-5 telephone switch can be overwhelming, but don't worry, we're here to help. Class-5 telephone switches are designed to handle a large volume of calls, typically in a business environment.

They can support up to 10,000 calls per hour, as seen in our comparison of the Avaya and Cisco switches. This makes them ideal for large enterprises.

In terms of scalability, Class-5 switches can be easily upgraded to meet growing business needs. This is particularly important for businesses that experience rapid growth or have fluctuating call volumes.

A good Class-5 switch should also have robust security features to protect against cyber threats. This is essential for businesses that handle sensitive customer data or have strict regulatory requirements.

Check this out: Video Telephone Calls

In the past, Class-5 telephone switches in the US were primarily crossbar systems, Panel switches, and Strowger-type step-by-step systems. These systems were widely used in the 1950s and 1960s.

The DDD program introduced large numbers of new 5XB crossbar switches, and 1ESS switches and their variants appeared in the 1960s. Most of these systems were removed in the late 20th century, replaced by DMS-10, DMS-100 and 5ESS switches in the Bell operating territories and the GTD-5 EAX in the GTE operating areas.

Principal European products include Ericsson AXE telephone exchange, Siemens EWSD and Alcatel-Lucent S12 and E10. These systems were eventually upgraded to Voice over IP technology in the 21st century.

In the 21st century, US and European service providers continued to upgrade their networks, replacing older DMS-10, DMS-100, 5ESS, GTD-5 and EWSD switches with Voice over IP technology.

Here are some examples of legacy analog switches that can be converged, collapsed and connected with the Tellabs 1000 MSAP solution:

MetaSwitch's VP3500 Next Generation Class 5 Switch is a widely deployed solution for service providers.

MetaSwitch has 22 years of experience supplying leading-edge technology to the telecommunications industry, ensuring a long-term commitment to product development and customer support.

Project Mutual Telephone selected the MetaSwitch VP3500 to avoid the cost of ongoing maintenance and required software upgrades for its existing Nortel DMS-100 Class 5 switch.

MetaSwitch offered the most flexible and cost-effective solution for Project Mutual's CLEC division, while retaining the proven reliability needed for a seamless transition of existing subscribers.

On a similar theme: Connect Switch

Tri-County Telephone was looking for a viable replacement for its Lucent 5ESS central office Class 5 switch, and MetaSwitch's proven ability to deliver Voice over IP was key to their decision.

The telephone industry is changing fast, bringing both threats and opportunities for independent telcos like Tri-County Telephone, and they believe MetaSwitch is the right partner to help them evolve their network and thrive in this next generation world.

MetaSwitch's VP3500 Switch supports the collapse of a remote switch into a Class-5 switch, with the Tellabs 1000 taking over the function of the collapsed switch.

The VP3500 also offers a future-proof "softswitch" architecture for enhanced applications, making it a great solution for service providers looking to expand their service area.

MetaSwitch has offices in the US and UK, providing global support and service to its customers.

By choosing the MetaSwitch VP3500, service providers can enjoy a flexible and cost-effective solution that meets their current and future needs.

A Class-5 switch provides telephone service to end customers locally in the exchange area, and thus it is concerned with "subscriber type" activities.

It generates dial-tone and other "comfort noises", handles network services such as advice of duration and charge, and provides dial tone, local switching, and access to the rest of the network.

Class-5 switches typically serve an area of a city, an individual town, or several villages, and could serve from several hundred to 100,000 subscribers.

In rural areas, the function of a class-5 switch is often performed by a remote switch or Remote Digital Terminal installed at the original switch site.

This setup allows the Class-5 switching infrastructure to be physically located in a larger population center, which is common in urban areas with extensive underground plant that tend to keep the classic class-5 office architecture.

Related reading: Telephone Network

The Class-5 telephone switch is a complex system, but when it comes to comparing different options, it's essential to consider the number of ports. The AT&T 5ESS switch, for example, has 96 ports.

This allows for a significant number of simultaneous calls, making it a reliable choice for high-traffic areas. On the other hand, the Northern Telecom DMS-100 switch has 192 ports, more than double the AT&T 5ESS.

Related reading: Carolina Telephone & Telegraph

Service providers are struggling with the challenges of Class-5 switch migration as they transition their networks to an all-IP Ethernet-centric infrastructure.

The lack of support for legacy network elements is a significant challenge, making it difficult to maintain and upgrade these systems.

Lack of expertise is another major issue, as many service providers don't have the necessary knowledge to operate and maintain these systems.

Greater liability is also a concern, as outdated systems can pose a risk to the network and its users.

Increased operational expense is a significant challenge, as service providers have to spend more money to maintain and upgrade these systems.

Here are the specific challenges of Class-5 switch migration:

Here's the list of switches mentioned in the article:

MetaSwitch is a notable player in the Class 5 switch market, with its VP3500 Next Generation Class 5 Switch offering a future-proof "softswitch" architecture for enhanced applications. The VP3500 has been deployed by several service providers, including Project Mutual Telephone and Tri-County Telephone.

The Tellabs 1000 MSAP (T1000) is another switch that can cost-effectively distribute Class 5 services over TDM or IP/Ethernet transport networks. This allows service providers to rehoming of services to a reduced number of Class-5 switches and eventually remove them from the network.

Here's a comparison of the features of the MetaSwitch VP3500 and the Tellabs 1000 MSAP:

Note that the MetaSwitch VP3500 is a softswitch, which allows for more flexibility and scalability than traditional Class 5 switches. The Tellabs 1000 MSAP, on the other hand, is a more specialized switch designed for cost-effectively distributing Class 5 services over TDM or IP/Ethernet transport networks.