Many Internet telephony service providers today offer a service call SIP
trunking as a way to help businesses lower their communications expenses and operate more efficiently. This service is based on Session Initiation Protocol (News - Alert), or SIP, an application-layer control protocol used to create, modify and terminate communications “sessions,” such as phone calls and multimedia conferences.
SIP trunking connects a company’s PBX (News - Alert) to the publicly switched telephone network (PSTN
). This setup is achieved via an Internet connection using the SIP VoIP standard. SIP trunking can be performed using the same Internet connection a company uses for data transmission. One of the advantages of SIP trunking is that it eliminates the need to maintain a basic rate interface (BRI) or primary rate interface (PRI), two types of ISDN
subscriber lines.
Because SIP trunking is performed using a protocol that works for all types of session information—both data and voice—it is possible to use this connection to transmit metadata like caller ID and photos of the caller. The voice signal is transmitted digitally, which usually results in very good audio quality. Further, since SIP trunking does not limit the length of phone numbers to 10 digits, it is possible to assign direct inward dialing (DID) numbers for every extension on the PBX
.
The benefits of SIP trunking are very appealing to phone service providers, or carriers, looking for a way to stay competitive. A SIP trunking service can greatly enhance a carrier’s product offering, resulting in boosted profits.
A SIP trunking package from Excel Telecommunications (News - Alert), for example, offers carriers an opportunity to give their customers what they want—excellent service at a great rate. SIP trunking makes it possible for Excel to offer services like domestic and international termination to anywhere in the world.
The benefits of SIP trunking even extend to residential customers. This technology helps carriers offer the types of services end-customers want: easy-to-use and reasonably priced local and long-distance voice.
To learn more about the benefits of SIP trunking, please visit the SIP Trunking channel on TMCnet.com, brought to you by Excel Telecommunications.
Mae Kowalke is an associate editor for TMCnet, covering VoIP, CRM, call center and wireless technologies. She also blogs for TMCnet here. Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) | X |
A PSTN number is a dialed call which is switched or connected via a CO switching system called a Class 5 End office or in SS7....more |
Private Branch Exchange (PBX) | X |
Originally, telephone features were provided by telephone central office switching systems, often called CENTREX.�PBX systems emerged as customers wanted to have more calling features and control over...more |
Voice over IP (VoIP) | X |
A real-time communications system that converts voice into digital packets containing media and signaling data that travel over networks using Internet Protocol....more |
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) | X |
SIP is the real-time communication protocol for VoIP. SIP is a signaling protocol for Internet conferencing, telephony, presence, events notification (emergency calling) and instant messaging.
SIP...more |
Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) | X |
ISDN BRI is digital transmission using 2B+D or two B channels of 64,000 BPS for voice, data and video services and one D channel of 16,000 BPS for signaling over one-pair of twisted-pair telephone lin...more |