Benefits of SIP trunking

Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a set of rules used to initiate calls over the internet. It helps transmit multimedia data using SIP trunks that act as pipes for the data to flow through. In essence, SIP trunking for VoIP, is what copper T1 lines are for the traditional Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

When teamed up with VoIP – SIP trunking lays the very foundations of a modern all-in-one IP PBX solution. It helps businesses support a number of channels for simultaneous calls and replace the old-fashioned telephone wiring for good. But that’s not all the benefits.

7 Main Benefits of SIP Trunking

Cost Efficiency

Despite a subscription cost and call rate charges, the price remains one of the major selling points. According to Gartner, the companies who adopted SIP trunking slashed their telco expenses on average by 50-75%.

This reduction can be attributed to:

• Vast competition that makes price negotiation easier.
• Lower monthly Line & DID charges.
• Removing overlapping costs by marrying data and telephone voice networks into one.
• Quick return on investment as the cloud-based design doesn’t require additional hardware and offers ways to optimize your existing setup.
• Closing the price gap between local and long distance calls.

No Location Ties

SIP trunking can help you appear more local to your customer base. If you’re a US-based company with a global presence, or if your primary market is in the EU, you can adopt a particular country or regional code to do the trick.

It’s one of the main benefits when compared to the location-tied PSTN numbers, especially for international companies. Plus, you can also keep the same phone number when you move offices, or when employees are working temporarily or permanently from home or abroad.

Better Call Quality

SIP trunking helps to avoid VoIP gateways and all calls can be managed over IP. A VoIP gateway is an additional device that’s used during data transmission. It’s primary function is to convert analogue signals into digital.

Absence of another conversion layer instantly benefits the quality of the sound. By avoiding additional packing, unpacking and transferring of the data packets, the call is safeguarded against interruptions such as latency and jitters.

Reap Full UC Benefits

SIP trunking is an essential part of bridging different modes of communication into one unified system. It supports video, voice, chat, as well as a number of integrations to completely erase boundaries in how you attend to your customers. Unified communication systems also minimize time and resources needed for administration and management of your communication channels.

Scalability

Demand fluctuations related to growth and seasonal changes often require businesses to adjust their call capacity accordingly. With PSTN, businesses need to install and maintain new physical phone lines. But what happens when the demand returns back to normal or simply falls short of your expectations?

SIP trunking erases this issue by proposing packages for the exact number of channels you need. When any changes occur, businesses can easily add or remove channels to serve it. All done with just one click and no on-site intervention!

Productivity Benefits

Gone are the days where WFH was an unusual setup – today everyone seeks to provide full mobility to their employees. By removing physical analogue phone lines out of the equation, SIP trunking helps manage the system directly from your laptop or phone using a quality connection and user-friendly VoIP apps.

Whether it’s deployed on premise or using a service provider – you can always access IP telephony on- and off-site. Now every employee is equipped for their best performance, regardless of their physical presence in the office.

Finding the Right Provider

Generally, QoS, maintenance and resilience are dependent on the SIP service provider you choose. That’s why, we recommend to address the following points to guarantee pleasant experience and a full set of benefits:

• Data protection – inquire about security measures they have in place against fraud and hacking. Since the communication takes place over the internet, it’s more vulnerable to malicious attacks.
• Customer service – to maximize your benefits, choose a provider who includes customer service and tech support as part of their package.
• Flexibility – always go for a flexible SIP provider that can support the majority of IP-PBX and softphone brands to avoid any hidden associated costs.
• Internet provider – a specific Internet provider can be suggested as part of a bundle. One of the benefits – your VoIP traffic will be directed through a dedicated connection resulting in higher call quality. However, if your current Internet provider is capable of meeting your requirements, it might be a waste. In this case, you should go for a service that supports the option to opt out.

Conclusion

SIP trunking is swooping into the world of business telco and many are excited about the benefits of making the switch. With so many options already available, the package can be tailored specifically to your needs, budget and preferences. Plus, giving a go to SIP trunking doesn’t require a heavy investment. If you are still hesitant about making a commitment, many leading providers offer free trials to test out the process.

Still haven’t found what you are looking for? For more information on SIP trunking, its use and benefits – visit voip-info.org.