SIP Trunks | What’s all the fuss about?

It’s been a common question in the business world over the past few years, what’s all this SIP about?

Many telecoms suppliers made a fuss about it and some were naturally suspicious of the shift in technology from good old fixed lines to Internet based lines. However as time has continued on it’s apparent that  SIP is here to stay.

Is the PBX dead?

Definitely not, the PBX is just changing as most office technology products have over the years. In fact the modern PBX is now more attractive to businesses than ever. It’s not just about dial tone anymore the PBX (phone system) now comes feature packed with mobility, presence and more management information software than you can shake a stick at. Just be careful to choose the right product. 

ITSPs

Not to be confused with SIP extensions, (which are the actual phones on your desks nowadays) SIP trunks are basically telephone lines that allow you to make and receive a call to the outside world or as known in the industry the ‘PSTN’. Public Switched Telephone Network.

However the big difference is that BT don’t actually need to be on site to install the line because its delivered I’ve the Internet via your office router.

Also, you don’t need to call BT for SIP trunks! Much like the wholesale market for fixed lines in the UK, ITSPs (Internet Service Telephony Providers) are shooting up all over the place who sell SIP trunking services.

Be careful to choose an ITSP who can be trusted to deliver and service your company in the right way. Many sell a good product but have no idea about customer service and technical expertise.

Why choose SIP

Well to be perfectly honest with you making a phone call is what it is, however with SIP trunking you’ll receive the following benefits:

Take your number anywhere

If you move town, county or even country your SIP telephone number can remain with you and connected wherever you decide to move to.

Half Price Line Rental

SIP versus ISDN price are hugely different. This is why SIP is so popular and businesses continue to invest in the right infrastructure to support this technology. Save half of your line rental costs per year.. A simple bit of math for most!

Resilience and Failover

When you’re up against the wall and your BT lines have failed as long as you have an Internet connection still working you’ll still continue to make and receive calls. SIP numbers can be diverted either manually within seconds via an online portal or automatically failover which is a real plus.

Mobile Phone Connectivity

Even if your office has no Internet, if your mobile phones have a 3G or 4G signal then SIP lines can route to SIP phone software on your mobile devices. This means no divert costs and a complete ‘anywhere’ approach to business communications.

SIP Disadvantages

Get SIP wrong or misunderstand it and you can seriously compromise your business telephone calls.

Here’s a short SIP check list for you without the jargon:

Make sure you have enough throughput on your Internet connection to accommodate the number of concurrent calls you’re after.

Tech Term: Bandwidth

Don’t mix your normal data with your telephone calls unless your installer has assured you that they have put the necessary equipment in to avoid problems.

Tech Term: Quality of Service

Is your internet router compatible with SIP trunking? If not it might not work..

Tech Term: SIP Aware Firewall

Has your phone system or SIP telephone gone through comparability testing with your ITSP?

Tech Term: Interoperability Testing

Does your Internet service have a contracted fix time in the event it develops a fault? Broadband typically doesn’t have one, however some high speed Internet connections do.

Tech Term: Service Level Agreement

In Summary

SIP for 2013 is a good idea for most businesses, at Denwa we can connect SIP trunks to your existing phone system or supply you with a new system. Savings can be made and so as you have the right type if Internet connection and you choose a reputable supplier you’ll be good to go.