How are Skype out and other VOIP calls routed?

Question

How does the call get from the public Internet onto the telephone network? Does Skype (and the other VOIP operators) own equipment in each country to provide the interface? Where is it situated, in each telephone exchange, or centrally?

Answer 1

it’s quite simple really. VoIP routes the call from your phone to the recipient via the internet, it’s just like sending an email or having a conversation on MSN Messenger or AIM.

Your voice is converted into packets of digital information.

It is then routed via the internet to the receiving VoIP phone.

A microprocessor then assemles the packets into your voice.

Because the call is routed via the internet like any other data transfer, that is why you are not charged,

Regards

Mali

Answer 2

I believe your assumption is correct.  

That seems to be the only real way to get onto the PSTN network.  There probably has to be an Internet VoIP to PSTN gateway box situated at each local area exchange (or they rent one from the local exchange, the same as they rent the DID phone numbers and then re-market the numbers to users).

This is probably why SkypeIN is not available in all countries or all area codes.  I live in Canada and we cannot get SkypeIN number in Canada yet (I've asked them numerous times in past years).  I have had one in USA though.