Let’s start with what might seem to be a simple question. Is your enterprise using SIP trunking? The follow-up is, “If not, why not?”

The reasons to raise these questions is that as readers are more than well-aware, communications networks are moving to being all-IP.  In fact, most of the major service providers around the world are saying that the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) as we know it will go the way of the dinosaurs by 2020. Actually, it will be the legacy TDM infrastructure that was architected for voice networking that will be deactivated. In short, the “telephone” and possibly the “switched” part of PSTN will disappear as a moniker.

That said, as networking moves to all-IP there remain the challenges of existing enterprise communications infrastructure being able to seamlessly interoperate with “E”verything. This is where SIP trunking becomes critical, and now really is the time to act. 

Just as a reminder, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunking is the use of voice over IP (VoIP) to facilitate the connection of a private branch exchange (PBX (News - Alert)) to the Internet. What it means is that the Internet replaces existing telephone trunks with a trunk carries multiple signals simultaneously with all traffic treated as data. What your enterprise needs are a connection to an Internet telephony service provider (ITSP) and a gateway that serves as the interface between the PBX and the ITSP. 

The business reasons for doing so are compelling starting with significant reduced overall cost as separate facilities are no longer required for voice and data, and there is the added benefit of enhanced reliability for multimedia services and expanded network reach.  However, in many ways that is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of benefits.

In fact, if you’d like to lean more, you are invited to participate in the insightful webinar Seven ways SIP trunking will transform your business. On Tuesday, November 10, 2015 02:00 PM EST / 11:00 AM PDT, join me and Steven Johnson, President, Ingate Systems (News - Alert), as we delve into the major benefits of SIP trunking. 

During the session case studies will be used to illustrate real-world challenges and solutions in order to provide you the tools you need to deploy SIP trunks quickly, easily and economically. Topics to be discussed include:

• Key benefits of SIP trunking
• How SIP trunking can benefit your business
• Common deployment questions and practical answers
• Ensuring security and interoperability
• The role of the E-SBC (Session Border Controller)
• What WebRTC means for SIP trunking

In answer to the second question posed, if you are not already relying on SIP trunking for cost savings and security alone you need to start evaluating it.  Plus, as will be discussed during the webinar, there are several reasons more why no business should wait. It’s time to take a big SIP.