When dealing with telecommunications technology these days, it can almost feel like diving into a bowl of alphabet soup. The array of abbreviations and acronyms one must know in this space surpasses even the WPA and CCC of FDR’s New Deal. Fortunately, though, for people who don’t know SIP from RTP, .NET VoIP provider Inventive Labs has written a blog post explaining common SIP terms.
First of all, of course, it is important to know what SIP means. It stands for Session Initiation Protocol, which is a protocol that makes and receives calls using a computer network rather than traditional phone equipment. The protocol takes control of the call and sets up the audio.
The term SIP is used in conjunction with a lot of other terms including: SIP endpoints, which are devices that originate or terminate SIP sessions, such as SIP phones; SIP carriers, which allow SIP Endpoints to make and receive calls on traditional phone equipment; SIP invites, which are packets that are invitations to accept calls; SIP OKs, which are confirmation messages that a previous SIP packet has been accepted; SIP ACKs, which are messages confirming certain packets; and SIP registration, which is a form of authentication with a carrier that enables the making and receiving of calls.
In addition to those listed above, there are other important terms one should know when working with SIP technology. First there is RTP, or real-time transport protocol, which is responsible for transmitting the audio in a SIP call. Next is G711, which is the most commonly used codec for sending and transmitting audio in a SIP session and G729, which is another commonly used codec for the same purposes.
With all of these terms, it is no wonder that some people are daunted by the prospect of SIP communications. But, with the great service provided by the people at Inventive Labs, from wikis and FAQs to personalized assistance, customers can take a sip of SIP and then, once they realize the benefits, they can take a full, refreshing drink.
Edited by Brooke Neuman
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