The world of telephony and
communications is changing.
Rather than relying on standard public switched telephone
networks (PTSN), companies are increasingly turning to VoIP (Voice over
Internet Protocol) as the best method for accessing reliable and effective
calls.
VoIP and SIP trunking allows organisations a more extensive
range of options for communication, eliminating various costs, and improving
the kind of quality audio and video a business can access.
The question is, what is SIP trunking, and what does it mean
to your business?
What is SIP trunking?
A SIP trunk is a digital version of a traditional analogue
phoneline. It eliminates the need for a physical connection to a phone company,
allowing providers to connect multiple channels to the same PBX infrastructure.
SIP trunking means that companies can extend their VoIP
operations beyond the typical organisational firewall while bypassing the need
for PSTN-IP gateways. Although this technology is used most often for voice
calls, it’s also capable of carrying other data packages, like instant
messages, user presence information, emergency calls, and real-time
communication services.
The underlying technology in SIP trunking is the Session
Initiation Protocol. This application layer protocol establishes real-time
sessions of video or audio between two endpoints. The “trunk” in SIP
trunking comes from circuit-switched telecommunications, and it refers to a
dedicated physical line that keeps your switching equipment connected.
What are the benefits of SIP telephony?
Now that we’ve got the SIP trunking definition out of the
way, let’s take a look at why so many companies are investing in this new tech.
SIP trunks connect your company directly to the Public Telephone
Network through an internet protocol or broadband link. This replaces the
standard ISDN solution and helps you tap into the varied benefits of VoIP
telephony.
The most significant benefits of SIP-telephony include:
- Cost savings: A traditional phone service
subjects your organisation to various charges for international calls. SIP
trunking provides more reliable pricing at a lower level, even if you’re
connecting with people around the world. One study found that average companies
switching to SIP trunking saved up to 50%
each month on their bills.
- Global mobility: SIP can scale according to your
needs, with numbers that reach across the globe. This means that businesses can
use this technology to grow at a pace that suits them, even if their workers
are connecting to trunks from remote locations around the world.
- Unified communications: Once your business comes
to terms with the SIP trunking basics like IP technology and instant
connectivity, it’s easy to start exploring Unified Communications too. SIP can
act as a valuable gateway into unified communications, unlocking the benefits
of an IP-based suite that includes instant messaging, mobility, flexible
collaboration apps, and cloud-based productivity tools.
- Reduced physical infrastructure to manage: With
a conventional phone service, expanding an organisation’s phone service is
often challenging. You’ll often have to wait a long time for a local
telecommunications company to install new phone lines. Individuals who work
from home may also need additional corporate devices. With SIP, your organisation
can add phone lines by connecting handsets to any data connection. You can even
implement BYOD policies where
workers use their own devices.
- Reliability: While conventional telephone
services can quickly be interrupted by weather events and other problems, SIP
trunking is a more reliable and consistent technology. With the right vendor
and disaster recovery strategies in place, you can make sure that you always
have a dependable way to connect with colleagues and customers via SIP
trunking. Some vendors even offer things like mobile failover as a redundancy
measure, which means that you can use other phones for communications if your
desk phones fail.
Should you invest in SIP trunking?
As the world continues to evolve with new modes of
communication and collaboration, solutions like VoIP and SIP trunking can be an
excellent way to take your business to the next level. Though there’s no
one-size-fits-all strategy for finding the best communication plan, SIP
trunking is an option that appeals to many modern businesses of all sizes.
When you have the support of the right communications team,
you’ll also be able to rest assured that you’re getting the highest possible
quality of voice connections. Contact Nice Network today to find out more about
your SIP trunking options.