A Gateway (a.k.a. Media Gateway, SoftSwitch, Media Gateway Controller, SIP Server, Gatekeeper) is a generic term for a device external to the BWS System that handles VoIP data and signalling traffic.

device that converts analog voice signals to digital IP packets for communication over an Ethernet (LAN or WAN) network.

a device which connects a telephone device or line to a computer network

a device which converts telephony traffic into IP for transmission over a data network

a network device that converts voice and fax calls, in real time, between the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and an IP network

a service that combines voice and data communication

A gateway is a point in a network where data gets changed from one format to another. In the case of a VoIP gateway it is where your internet phone call breaks out of the internet and onto the standard public telephone network. The voice data gets converted into a normal phone call for the rest of the journey until it reaches its destination.

A device that bridges the traditional circuit-switched PSTN and the packet-switched Internet.