What is SIP trunking

What is SIP trunking..

(Session Initiation Protocol trunking)

SIP trunking is a service that a communication provider offers. It uses the SIP protocol in order to connect VoIP and multimedia between a local phone system and the public telephone network. The SIP protocol allows this technology to enable communication in multimedia between devices on an Internet Protocol (IP) network.

SIP trunking is increasingly popular since most countries are transitioning from traditional phone lines to VoIP. It enables voice calls and other forms of multimedia communication over IP networks.

The concept of SIP trunking has two parts: SIP means Session Initiation Protocol, which is the protocol used in making possible multi-media communications—voice, video, and text messaging—over an IP network rather than over a traditional analog/ISDN phone line. Trunking is the practice of aggregating different channels of communications into a single trunk, which is a logical connection that enables multimedia communications over the internet.

SIP trunking architecture In a SIP trunking system, the VoIP connections between the local phone systems and the public telephone network are allowed and enabled. They replace the physical phone lines, also known as primary rate interfaces (PRIs), with logical connections called SIP trunks.

A SIP trunk refers to a virtual phone line that links a PBX with the PSTN. It can be one that comprises 20 or even more SIP lines or channels. SIP lines are digital avatars of traditional phone lines. New lines can be added to the SIP trunk and architecture, thereby allowing communications—both incoming and outgoing—between a corporate network and other phone/data networks with little and often no rewiring needed.

A SIP trunking system usually includes a session border controller, which helps to connect the SIP trunk to the phone system in the building. SBCs help manage security, call routing rules, phone numbers, and changing voice formats.

The other two important parts of SIP trunking are the SIP protocol and the SIP provider.

The SIP protocol is the common way of using VoIP services. It enables the direct linking of PBX to PSTN, allowing businesses and individuals to connect without the need for an old telephone line. SIP differs from VoIP. SIP is the technology and protocol that is larger in scale compared to VoIP, as it supports voice calls via VoIP and other media services via the internet.

SIP providers are companies that provide SIP VoIP services. Along with voice and video calls, and instant messaging, they may also provide SIP services like these:

•     Encryption protects the voice calls, and it is always under surveillance        for any suspicious or strange calls for the sake of security. Calls can            be routed to emergency services with the location information of the          caller (like 911 in  U.S. or 999 in U.K.).
•     Switch to stand-by trunks and locations.
•     You can set up trunks via a web page.
•     That means that a call to a cellphone is ringing on a desktop phone.            Connection with cellular networks.
•     Protection against toll fraud.
•     Denial-of-service protection.
•     Virtual inbound phone numbers, such as 800-number service.
•     Business Intelligence helps business users using the insights from the          call logs and machine learning algorithms.
•     Performance use, having and reporting performance.
•     The ability to route calls to multiple locations based on call volume,            source of call, or other policies. Benefits of SIP trunking

In terms of the customer, SIP trunking is the more affordable alternative to making business calls through traditional phone lines. Savings are rather obvious if numerous calls are made or if the business needs other services like video calls and instant messaging alongside voice calls. In addition, some SIP providers offer flexible or pay-as-you-go pricing, meaning businesses only pay for what they use. This helps them have more control over their communication costs. The system also brings together the business communication tools, thus making it easier to manage, keep up, measure, and improve.

SIP trunking also offers greater purchasing flexibility than time-division multiplexing. TDM trunks typically support a maximum of 23 voice channels; SIP trunks can be purchased in any increment without a dedicated wide area network (WAN) circuit.

In addition, customers can utilize SIP trunks in conjunction with their existing WAN services, dedicated WAN circuits, or even the Internet. When more channels are needed, companies can simply add them to a SIP trunk without extra wiring, since the trunk is logical, not physical.

This enables the business to grow with its current and future call volumes, types of media they use, support needed for simultaneous calls, service availability goals, quality of service promises, business locations (whether inside or outside the country), and other important factors.

SIP trunks provide better quality and more reliable services compared to analog or regular phone lines. Since there is no predefined path for a call, it's definite that a VoIP call can take multiple routes to reach the target, thereby increasing the probability of a successful connection. Communication using SIP trunks also avoids network problems or outages that often stop regular calls from connecting, improving the reliability and quality of communication even further.

Uses of SIP trunking SIP is applied to establish, manage, and disconnect calls. SIP trunking usually is offered as a replacement for digital PRIs, which use TDM technology. In fact, Communications Service Providers around the world have already widely adopted SIP trunking as a means to substitute legacy TDM-based services. SIP trunking allows them to reduce costs and simplify the headache involved in maintaining old digital systems, all while adding new features that their customers need over existing Ethernet or Multiprotocol Label Switching networks.