Are you considering SIP for your voice needs?

Is SIP for Voice For You? SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol and it is the method of transporting (sending and receiving) video and/or voice through the internet. There are different protocols that can be used for sending and receiving video or voice, and SIP has its own set of protocols. SIP can be used for either voice or video, or both. But this post is mainly about using SIP for voice.

Here are some things to consider when looking at switching from a non-SIP communications to SIP based.

Phone systems

The first component to consider is that SIP will not work unless you have a phone system that works along with it. Not every phone system does this, but many do. Most IP PBX systems will work natively, and a legacy PBX will accept SIP via a Gateway.

Phone systems can range in price and as with most technology, price depends on the features included. The more features included the greater the price.

In addition, not only will you need the actual handsets (phones) you will need the “system” itself either hosted on your own network or hosted by a provider. The system is the heart of everything, it is what takes the incoming calls and passes them onto the right person. It takes the outgoing calls and sends them to the right place. The system is stored in a gateway/firewall and sometimes requires licenses based on various factors.When using a native configuration, you will not need this additional hardware – more on this later.

Are there equipment requirements?

This goes along with the point above because some phone systems require additional equipment while others do not. Some systems are native, which means no extra equipment like gateways are required. Instead the connection comes into the office and goes right to the switch or server – no special routing boxes which can run a few grand are needed. This is a big plus for those looking to save money and cut some overhead expenses.

However, if you already have equipment that you are using then it’s up to you, however, why bear the added expense of upgrades and maintenance if you don’t have to?

Keep in mind some systems may have their own pros and cons regarding native or non-native connectivity.

How many lines are you looking at?

Consider how many call paths you are looking for. A call path is similar to a phone line, but unlike regular phone lines where one line is tied to one number, a call path can have multiple numbers, but only one number can use that call path at a time. Check out various pricing structures for your SIP requirements.

For example, if you only have needs for two lines, you won’t need a large bundled package of minutes. Instead, you might settle on a plan that charges per call path. By the way, Ferrum Technology Services offers both these options in order to accommodate both small and large organizations.

What’s your current available bandwidth/network usage?

Another consideration which can be easily overlooked is bandwidth/network usage. SIP may be great, but if your current bandwidth is low or you have a constantly high load on your network, there may not be enough available bandwidth left to deliver a high quality voice connection.

We once had a potential client who contacted us for our SIP service. They dealt heavily with online data files, so our sales staff took analysis of their bandwidth and determined they did not have the proper bandwidth available to be allocated to voice. In order to use voice for SIP, they would have to purchase a separate T1 dedicated to voice only.

Is your industry governed by Federal privacy and security regulations?

A final consideration is if your company is involved in a regulated industry. Some industries such as Health Care, Financial, and Banking are required by Federal law to keep their voice and data lines separated for privacy and security reasons. Just do a search on HIPAA or Sarbanes-Oxley to learn more. Make sure to find a provider which is compliant with these laws since there are requirements such as encrypted connectivity as set forth by the government.

If you have questions about moving over SIP, feel free to give us a call at (847) 697-3282 or fill out our contact form and we’ll be happy to provide a free quote and trial. Our service team can answer any questions or concerns you might have with your set up, time frames and even budgets.