Take advantage of modern internet telephony without wasting your existing infrastructure investment
What is SIP calling? That’s a question your business should be asking if you want to benefit from future-proof internet telephony without wasting the investment you’ve already made in communication infrastructure.
No more desk phones. No more old telephone networks and monthly maintenance costs. Easily make and receive calls over the internet, and add a suite of multimedia communications to your business with video chats, voice calls, and video conferences. All that’s needed is stable Wi-Fi and ample bandwidth.
Internet telephony sounds pretty good, right? But what about all your old business phone systems and PBX phones? Instead of abandoning your infrastructure and porting all your old phone numbers, you could use SIP protocol to move all your communications over to an internet connection, without wasting your existing investment in infrastructure.
Intrigued? Read on to learn more about:
SIP calling, also known as session initiation protocol calling, is the process of transferring voice calls over a SIP trunk or channel.
A SIP trunk is essentially a virtual connection, meaning you don’t have to rely on old phone lines to make and receive phone calls. You can even have multiple SIP addresses as it’s all done online.
The great thing about setting up SIP calling is that it will enable you to make calls in real-time using the internet via your existing infrastructure, and depending on which SIP provider you choose, you’ll also have access to a range of communication channels.
So, what’s the difference between SIP calling and VoIP (another acronym that’s often discussed in the same breath as SIP)?
Let’s take a closer look at the differences between SIP and VoIP calling. They’re similar, but the functionality of each differs.
Voice over IP is often used as a sort of catch-all term for internet telecommunications or any kind of internet telephony system. In reality, though, it’s the name for the fundamental technology that allows internet calling, while SIP is most associated with a certain type of VoIP roll-out.
SIP is a protocol that’s used to maintain and initiate telecommunications in a business VoIP phone system. A VoIP phone uses codecs to convert voice signals into digital packets that can be compressed and transmitted to the other end of the line, while SIP protocol is one particular protocol that enables SIP trunking.
What’s SIP trunking? It’s the use of SIP trunks in the place of analog phone lines. In short, it’s how you can connect multiple channels to your PBX, to enable your existing infrastructure to make calls over the internet.
Wi-Fi calling is another concept often confused with SIP calling. Making a Wi-Fi call and a SIP call may be similar, but there are a few noticeable differences. This handy table maps all of them out:
| SIP calling | Wi-Fi calling |
|---|---|
| Done using a protocol that opens and closes connections | Done using a SIP trunk |
| Ideal for those with good Wi-Fi or stable mobile network coverage | Ideal for those with low mobile network coverage, as Wi-Fi calls only need a stable internet connection to be made |
| Access to a range of multimedia tools with VoIP providers (phone, audio, video, and instant messaging from one single location). | You might need to toggle between different apps to find all the multimedia communication tools you need (one for video, one for audio calls, and one for instant messaging) |
| If you want access to a wide range of communication tools, you’ll likely need to pay a VoIP provider. | There are many free applications out there that will enable you to make Wi-Fi calls. |
Your business’s traditional phone system will typically be made up of three core parts: PBX, PRI, and PSTN.
So what are the requirements for SIP calling?
Not only does this mean that you can use multimedia like voice calls, video calls, and instant messaging, but it also means you can use features like voicemail, call routing, and auto attendants without having to use analog or traditional phones for your communications.
SIP calling is beneficial to organizations of all sizes. From small businesses and startups to enterprises, you’ll be able to make use of telecommunications and a range of multimedia options at your fingertips, enabling unified communications to run smoothly within your business.
All without writing off your existing infrastructure and the investment you’ve already devoted to it.
Principal benefits of utilizing SIP calling to move toward a unified communications setup include:
One of the great things about using SIP calling to update your communications system is that it cuts down on maintenance costs and saves you money. Your current phone bill is based on per-minute charges, international calling charges, and regular maintenance work. By switching to a SIP trunk-based setup, you virtually eliminate all of these costs.
The result? Lots more cost savings!
Most SIP providers handle the set-up and installation for you, making it easier for you to focus on what’s most important; serving your customers and growing your business.
So, you might be thinking, “this sounds too good to be true. I might have cut costs with SIP calling, but what happens if I want to grow? Won’t scaling up prove just as expensive?” You’re wrong! SIP trunking provides an easy, cost-efficient alternative to traditional phone systems, even if you’ve got a global team.
With SIP trunking, virtual trunks are what connect your PBX to the internet, rather than physical phone lines connecting to the PSTN. That means scaling up doesn’t require new physical phone lines to get installed, limiting how long it takes and how much you have to pay when adding more people to your team.
This is what makes SIP calling such an enticing alternative to traditional phones; scalability proves much easier and less costly.
Since SIP paves the way for VoIP phone systems, you’ll be able to leverage a lot more multimedia technology.
From voice calls and video conferencing to instant messages and audio calls, you’ll have a range of different communication channels at your fingertips, all of which are much more easily integrated with your phone system.
This is the very essence of unified communications and is a great way of streamlining business communications and bringing your team together, particularly if you operate via a hybrid or remote working model.
What does this mean for your business?
Pro-tips:
Once you’ve got your SIP trunking setup, you’re probably wondering which VoIP service provider to go with. You want something that’s affordable yet efficient. Something that gives you a wide range of communication tools to work with.
You’ll get all that and more with 8x8’s business VoIP system. Offering up voice, video, chat, and contact center solutions, you’ll be able to upgrade your communications and offer a more seamless experience to customers and team members alike. All applications will be housed within one single application, meaning your employees won’t have to worry about toggling between different apps.
Some of the biggest hassles of traditional telephone networks?
With SIP trunking, you can avoid all of these problems. Since everything is done online, all you’ll ever need is a stable internet connection to keep things running smoothly. And in the case of a system failure? All calls can automatically be re-routed and directed to other employees or locations that can deal with the customer’s query.
SIP trunking helps you streamline all business communications. Not only does this make employees’ jobs easier, but it puts a sort of domino effect into motion.
If employees are breezing through the phone system and making calls easily, it’s going to reflect in their customer service. It’s simple. Happier employees = happier customers.
It will take a little bit of setting up and configuration on your end, but SIP calls can be made on a range of devices, including mobile phones—both iPhone and Android devices—and on desktop PCs or laptops, via a softphone.
SIP calls only need a few things to run smoothly:
All this gives your employees greater freedom, enabling them to work from wherever they choose.
This is particularly handy if you operate via a hybrid or remote working model, as employees won’t just be limited to a single device.
Join 8x8’s global network of over 200,000 businesses and see why so many use us as their primary SIP provider.
Offering a streamlined communications system, you can easily sync your existing SIP accounts with 8x8 or create one in our system. Unlike other SIP trunking providers, you’ll get access to a suite of multimedia and communication tools with everything from HD voice and video calls to conference calling and instant messages.
You’ll also be able to enjoy advanced features like call routing, file sharing, and voicemail. Want a taste of what’s to come? Contact sales today to see a live product demo in action.