PINT

The PSTN/Internet (PINT) internetworking service is an interface between an IP network and the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN). This service enables people to use the Internet for calls to PSTN phones. PINT transmits voice over the Internet in IP packets like e-mails and other data through gateways that switch calls between the local PSTN and the Internet.

Because PINT uses packet technology, entire conversations are compressed and divided into packets. These packets are encoded with a destination address and traverse the network individually, each in its own direction. The destination gateway accepts the packets of a given address, regroups them into a single package, and then switches the call back to the PSTN.

PINT is described in RFC 2458 and RFC 2848, and is approved by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF).

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