The Benefits of SIP Trunking for Your Business: Why You Need It Now

SIP trunking is considered one of the best business communication solutions available. Instead of transmitting incoming and outgoing calls over an increasingly outdated system of cables and copper wires, SIP signaling protocols help modernize your legacy phone systems by sending your calls over the internet. Once you know the benefits of SIP trunking, it’s easy to see why market analysts predict the global SIP trunking services market is expected to reach nearly $44 billion by the end of 2031.

It’s also easy to understand why so many business owners need to make the switch as quickly as possible. Is investing in a SIP trunking platform the best move for your business? Before you decide, you’ll want to know what SIP is and how it works. Some of the many ways this cloud-sourced communications solution is helping numerous companies reduce overhead costs, maximize efficiency, and keep up with the unique demands of today’s remote and hybrid workforce.

Benefits of SIP Trunking: A Brief Overview

Legacy business phones rely on a complex network of physical wires to connect your private branch exchange (PBX) with your public switched telephone network (PSTN). Your local phone company charges for each PRI (primary rate Interface) circuit installed for your business. Each circuit supports 23 calls and one data channel. When you need more connectivity, you’ll have to pay the increasingly high cost of installation, activation, maintenance, and system upgrades, as well as any fees for digital services like remote file sharing, business SMS, or group collaboration.

With the right SIP trunking provider, you’ll continue using your current phone system differently. Instead of routing calls over your legacy phone lines, SIP trunks form a digital PBX. Approved by the Internet Engineering Task Force in 1996 and standardized in 1999, the SIP signaling protocol was designed to address the evolving needs of IP-based communications. With SIP, analog signals are converted to data files that you can access from nearly any digital device via a user-friendly dashboard. Since your analog signals are converted to a digital format, a single SIP session can contain any combination of media.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About SIP Protocol

How Do the Benefits of SIP Trunking Enhance Business Communication?

Before 2020, organizations conducted most business processes from a central location. While the number of companies switching to cloud-sourced communication services has been steadily increasing over the past decade, many business owners were initially hesitant to make the switch. Some were understandably concerned about call quality. Others assumed a company-wide transition would be cost-prohibitive.

Current trends suggest a lot has changed in just a few short years. Why? Possibly because of some of the many advantages for corporate America, benefits include reliability, scalability, and affordability. Although platform features and the service cost can vary from provider to provider, consider how SIP trunking’s benefits could impact your business’s overall efficiency, productivity, and profitability.

Related: How SIP Trunking Reduces Communications Costs

Cost-Effective, Flexible Consolidation

Most business owners are currently paying for monthly phone service and additional digital resources fees. Suppose you’re paying a fee for every outgoing local call, monthly equipment charges, state telecommunication surcharges, directory assistance, and various applications. In that case, you may only know your total communication expenses once you get your monthly statement. With cloud-based SIP trunking, you won’t be slammed with unexpected charges as you provide access to multiple communication solutions from a single, user-friendly interface. You pay only for the services your team needs when they need them and can add or subtract features as those needs evolve.

Savings on Long-Distance Voice Communication

Most business owners find long-distance calls significantly less expensive with SIP trunking. All calls become local calls in terms of costs. When your company takes advantage of everything SIP trunking has to offer, you’re bypassing the charges of your local phone company. If you make many long-distance or international calls, that alone could add up to considerable savings. Although you’ll still pay a per-minute fee for some international calls, the rates are typically much lower than the fees charged by your local phone company. Your Call Data Records (CDRs) provide a near real-time account of every call and a considerable amount of valuable data that could also help streamline your workflow.

No Expensive Hardware to Purchase or Maintain

All you need to get started with SIP trunking is an internet connection, a SIP-enabled phone system, and the services of a reputable platform provider. If you have a PBX made in the 90s or later, your phone system is likely SIP-enabled. Look for an ethernet or data jack. You may need to invest in a low-cost analog-to-telephone adaptor (ATA) if your system is older. But even that adaptor isn’t a SIP trunking requirement. You don’t need a physical infrastructure when you take your communication services to the cloud. Technically, you don’t even need a phone, just a softphone application installed on your computer or tablet. Your people can access your business phone system through your SIP trunking platform from any compatible device.

Boosting Overall Efficiency & Productivity

When you switch from a legacy phone system to SIP trunking, you’re reducing overhead costs and giving your team members access to some of the many digital services dominating today’s telecom markets. You can create a high-performance multimedia architecture with the right SIP trunking provider. This communication system gives your people the advantages of any fax services, voice-to-email capabilities, or business SMS (short message service) you choose to provide. These tools help maximize the overall efficiency and boost productivity. If your internet service goes down for any reason, it’s easy to have your calls redirected, in real-time, to a mobile device or alternate location.

Finding the Best SIP Trunking Provider for Your Business

Virtual phone systems don’t require professional installation or expensive repairs. Now that you know how some of the many benefits of SIP trunking could impact your business, it’s essential to remember that call quality, overall flexibility, and system security can vary significantly from one service provider to the next. The best SIP trunking platforms make it easy to keep your team members connected while slashing your business communication costs by as much as 60%. While comparing your options, consider the advantages of using a platform provider offering the following features.

• A User-Friendly Control Panel
  With a robust, user-friendly control panel, your people have everything they need for efficient, effective collaboration. But that’s just the beginning. With the right provider, you’ll also be able to add or delete phone numbers, increase or decrease channels, subscribe to add-on services, monitor incoming and outgoing calls, and more.
  
• Contract-Free Service
  SIP trunking is of little value if you get locked into a contract with a platform provider that does not provide high-quality service or exceptional customer support. You can protect your business and workforce by sticking with a reputable company willing to offer month-to-month, contract-free service.
  
• Add-On Services
  Most reputable SIP trunking platforms tend to charge a flat rate per user for a range of essential services. As you’re browsing, take a moment to consider some of the other digital features you may need to add to that basic service over time, services like business SMS, widespread DID coverage, or fax-to-email capabilities.
  
• Dialer Traffic-Friendly Service
  Many SIP trunking providers avoid telemarketing traffic. If that option is vital for your business, look for a provider that clears the way for dialer traffic through a special arrangement with upstream carriers. You can activate your trunk setting with the right provider to avoid surcharges for dialer traffic on your regular service.

Does Your Business Need the Benefits of SIP Trunking?  

If your business could benefit from an upgrade that helps maximize efficiency while slashing the increasingly high cost of connectivity, consider modernizing your communication system by enlisting the services of a reputable SIP trunking platform. Although you’re sure to find numerous companies offering a wide range of services, the best SIP trunk providers provide a Tier 1 network, excel in customer service, and help protect your business with an automated system designed to detect and deter fraudulent activity.

To experience the benefits of SIP trunking from a platform that integrates with your existing telephone system, visit SIP. US for a free, no-obligation trial. There’s no setup fee, and you can scale your service as needed.