SIP Trunk Features and special functions

• A Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) network is a type of Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service designed for businesses with a private branch exchange (PBX) phone system. A SIP Trunk lets the company continue to use its connected telephone system, but, instead of using a digital or analog telephone line, you communicate with others via a data connection like the Internet. These systems are generally cheaper than standard PBX systems, but just as scalable.

Calling Features

• Like a standard telephone line, you can make outbound calls and receive inbound calls as you normally would, including calling 800, 888 or 877 numbers. Some countries cannot call toll-free numbers in the United States, which could hurt your business presence. You can create local numbers wherever you have offices, eliminating the need for toll-free numbers. For example, if your headquarters is in New York, but you have an office in Los Angeles, you can get a Los Angeles area code for that office while still using a single SIP Trunk service. Generally, you can make long distance or international calls for a set or discounted rate with SIP Trunk systems.

Expense

• While you will have to pay for a few items up-front, businesses save money in the long run since they are only paying for the service for both your voice and data communications. This means that your SIP Trunk provider rolls your Internet and telephone services into one package, and you usually start seeing savings immediately. Some of the up-front costs include investing in an Internet Protocol (IP) PBX, firewalls for your SIP Trunk, IP phones and soft clients, which you will usually use for your mobile devices. Once your system is set up, you should see a return on your investment in savings within six months.

Other Features

• Unlike traditional phone systems, SIP Trunk systems are not connected to a single phone line, meaning that your SIP system can route calls anywhere in the world. This means that if your New York office is closed for the day, you can have your calls routed to the Los Angeles, ensuring that your clients reach a live person more often. If you have international offices, this system can route the calls to those offices as well. These systems can handle any type of voice or data communication, including fax, text messages and video files. SIP Trunk systems also don't take very long to set up, usually only a week or two, and SIP Trunk providers generally offer disaster recovery, which allows you to retrieve your documents should your system crash.