SIP Trunking – or Session Initiation Protocol Trunking – is the process of modifying a PBX (Public Branch eXchange) system to give it the ability to make VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) phone calls. With SIP Trunking, your telephone connections going out and coming into your PBX can now be handled concurrently with your broadband Internet connection. There are many benefits to using SIP trunking including eliminating Public Switched Telephone Network (PTSN) connections. That means eliminating the standard connection fees as well as any metered or per-minute charges from your local phone company.

SIP Trunking begins at your PBX. If you have an IP-PBX it is definitely compatible, and if you have a standard or “legacy” type PBX it may still be compatible with an interface card commonly referred to as a “gateway.” Your quality of service will be equal to standard methods and should only be affected if your internet connection does not have enough bandwidth, which is rarely an issue. Also, it’s not necessary to purchase a SIP channel for each extension within the office. Instead, you only need to purchase enough channels to accommodate the maximum number of simultaneous calls. For example, let’s say your business has 100 employees and 125 telephone extensions. However, 50 employees work at one time period and the other 50 at a different time period. Although your business contains 125 telephone extensions and 100 employees, the maximum simultaneous usage at any one point is 50 extensions. So, you’ll only need to purchase 50 SIP channels.

SIP Trunking is efficient, cost-effective, and you won’t lose any features. In fact, depending on your current situation, your more likely to save money and since your PBX is what normally controls your phone system’s features, you shouldn’t lose any of them either.

Netrio offers not only SIP trunking, but PBXs, and network management services as well. For more information contact us.