Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is a signaling protocol for
establishing sessions in an IP network. But if you are like most
of us, that means nothing to you. In layman\’s terms, SIP is a
method by which various computers can talk to one another so
that they can complete voice calls. The protocol is increasingly
being adopted as the standard means by which computers
communicate to facilitate VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol.
So you can imagine SIP as a common language for new generation
operators to speak to connect calls. However, there are no
operators there is only your computer (or other hardware) and
that of the person you are speaking with. That brings this
introduction to some of the many benefits of SIP communication.
The goal of SIP was to provide users with many of the functions
and features they typically expect with making phone calls, such
as familiar rings, hearing the ring back tone when a call is
placed, and the process of dialing a number. SIP goes beyond
this however, also implementing a number of advanced features.
Despite its’ convenient interface that mirrors that of a typical
telephone call, SIP is based on an internet protocol rather than
that of the telephone industry. Because of this, SIP is able to
work seamlessly alongside other internet based protocols. This
has allowed the technology to uniquely establish a user
location, meaning that you can tell the IP address or \”location\”
from which a person is making a call, something vital for
offering emergency services. It also allows for coordination
amongst the various participants in deciding upon what call
features will be supported, as well as providing the protocol
for call management which allows for adding, dropping, or
transferring call participants.
One of the most exceptional benefits of Session Initiation
Protocol (SIP) is its application with Private Branch Exchange
(PBX). A private branch exchange is a private telephone network
used within an enterprise in which users share a certain number
of outside lines for external telephone calls. This provides a
significant cost savings to the company because it allows
companies to quickly and easily make calls within their
institution, as well as save by limiting the number of external
phone lines that must be maintained. SIP can extend these cost
savings dramatically by offering users free long distance calls
worldwide. Once again, because SIP is internet based rather than
running over traditional telephone lines, the cost of call
transmission are as cheap as say sending an e-mail, that is to
say, Free! While PBX is already an efficient use of office
resources incorporating SIP into a PBX means taking such savings
and capabilities to a new level. Incorporating SIP gives users’
access to free interoffice communications, long distance calls,
as well as huge savings in setup and transaction costs. These
transaction cost savings are due to the fact that SIP is based
on internet protocol allowing for the ability to physically move
phones without any need for rewiring or new setup costs. Because
that the system is peer-to-peer rather than cog and wheel like
hardwired telephony means that there is no complicated setup
necessary, but rather users can simply plug the phone into any
available broadband connection and without the need for any
complicated hardware or software, calls are ready to be made and
received.
This brings us to what is potentially the greatest savings that
SIP provides. We all hate to have to pay $2.00 for making a
simple local call from a hotel room. But for those of us that
have had to pay exorbitant long-distance charges from hotels,
the level of angst felt reaches new heights. Add to this the
fact that often companies require conference calling for their
employees, a service that hotels are all too happy to charge a
high premium to provide. For companies that have a lot of their
employees traveling or practicing in various locales, the
overhead costs of making such calls can really put a damper on
year end profits. SIP offers a solution to hotel bills, and for
that matter all telephone bills whatsoever. Just as sending an
e-mail is free whether you are sending that e-mail to a person
across the street or around the world, so making a call using
SIP from any locale to any other locale in the world is free.
All that is needed is a broadband connection. And just as one
can send an email from wherever the internet can be accessed,
SIP users can make their free calls from the office, the home,
or even (gasp) the hotel room. Not to mention the huge savings
in regular long-distance charges, the simple fact that long
distance and local calls can be made for free from hotel rooms
(most of which offer complimentary broadband service) is an
enormous long-term cost savings. But add to this the fact that
conference calls are available at no additional cost, which can
be explained by following the principle that sending an e-mail
to many individuals at the same time is just as cheap as one to
one communication. Altogether these savings mean that companies
who have in the past been laden with high local and long
distance phone bills will be able to have their employees keep
in close communication no matter their location for free.
SIP goes beyond this, however. Because SIP uses peer-to-peer
connections there are no extra costs for having hundreds or even
thousands of employees making SIP calls whereas the management
costs for such a system under traditional telephony would be
astronomical. This is never the case with PBXs that utilize SIP
in a peer to peer connection format, however, where structural
costs do not increase as your business grows and your usage of
the PBX increases.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) offers customers of
traditional telephony fantastic cost savings, the flexibility to
make free calls from anywhere in the world at any time, and the
ability to expand a PBX system with no setup costs. Because
there is no complicated hardware or software necessary to setup
SIP in a PBX, implementing the technology is as simple as having
access via broadband to the internet. Due to these benefits as
well as innumerable others, expanded use of SIP in PBX and in a
variety of other settings is simply a matter of expanded
customer exposure to the possibilities of SIP.
About the author:
Jim Sherman writes about interesting topics such as Mobalex technology.