Businesses that are looking for ways to improve communications, while saving some money, need to consider switching their communications to SIP trunking. Session Initiation Protocol has been standardized in the telecommunication industry as the protocol of choice, when it comes to phone calls on a data network. It is the technology used to establish voice communication sessions on a data network like the internet, and the session can be a regular Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call between two people, or a conference call, involving many parties.
What is SIP Trunking?

SIP trunking is a term that is used to describe using SIP and Real Time Protocol (RTP) to connect a company’s Office Communications Server, directly to an Internet Telephony Service Provider (ITSP), over an IP connection, allowing users to make and receive telephone calls. It provides businesses with the same services they get with an analog phone line, but does it without the use of wires.

SIP is used to make and control communication sessions that are based on VoIP telephony, and it can be used for presence updates, instant messaging, multimedia conferencing, and a lot more real time services that can transverse a SIP trunk. When it comes to SIP trunking, the term trunk is used to describe circuit switched communications, and it refers to a physical line that is dedicated to connecting switching equipment.

It is similar to the previously used circuit switched system, because it is a connection between communications systems, and also differs from it because the connections it makes are virtual connections. The connections can be made over a line that is dedicated for SIP trunking, a line dedicated for SIP trunking and other IP traffic, or over the internet on a Virtual Private Network.

How Does SIP Trunking Work?

SIP trunking uses a company’s internet connection to take data, voice and video output. In the case of phone calls, the call either originates as an Internet Protocol (IP) call or it is converted into one before it leaves the office, by the IP PBX or another gateway device like a router with SIP capabilities, or an ATA connected to an analog port on the PBX. After it has been converted, the call is then carried as RTP data most of the way over the internet to the Internet Telephone service provider, then into a gateway, where it is converted back into the traditional phone call, then to Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) for the final part of its journey.
Due to the fact that a large portion of telephone calls travel through the internet or IP network at no extra charge, service providers can afford to offer clients calling plans at reduced costs. The service providers have been replacing low capacity network links with multiple capacity links, and since the calls to the PSTN are carried across the media gateway using the most economical route, the charges per minute for these calls are reduced, due to the elimination of tariffs on the middle route connections between the call origin and its destination.
What are the Features and Benefits of SIP Trunking?

Using SIP Trunking simplifies your company’s telecommunications drastically, while making it easier for you to make changes when upgrades in the telecommunications market become available. Using SIP trunking also saves your business a lot of money in the long run, examples of which are listed below.

– It saves money on long distance calls, because long distance calls cost significantly less when you have a SIP trunk connection.
– It is easy to expand, by adding additional SIP trunks, or reduce, depending on your business needs.
– It provides access to the features of hosted PBX services, without having to get rid of your traditional PBX system.
– It integrates with some of the largest IP PBX vendors in the world, like Microsoft, Nortel, Cisco, Panasonic, and Siemens.
– Competitive rates when it comes to local, international, national, and mobile calls.
– Inbound and outbound caller ID.
– Extends the capabilities of your office communications server with new services from ITSPs.

SIP Trunking is the new direction that businesses are taking their telecommunications, because it is more convenient and affordable than old services that they used. If you are a business owner that is considering making a switch to SIP trunking services, Amcom is one of the leading IT and Telecommunications companies in Australia, and can provide your company with the SIP trunking that fits your business needs.