What Is A SIP Trunk Account?
A SIP trunk is similar to a conventional phone exchange. In essence, a SIP trunk provides access to a localized local area network (LAN) to remote users who might not otherwise have internet access at that address. To initiate a call, a user dials a special toll free number assigned to him/her by the SIP trunk provider, and then a pre-determined message is automatically sent along with the user’s phone number to the SIP trunks server, which then stores the call details for reception by other users. By forwarding the call to other nearby users a remote service provider can enhance its current customer service level by allowing its current customers to receive help without needing to travel to the location where the service provider is located. The result is cost savings for the company because not as many staff have to be deployed to answer each call.
SIP trunks are used widely in business, medical, institutional, and educational settings where a large volume of calls are made every day. Businesses usually make the largest use of SIP trunks. Large institutions such as hospitals, financial institutes, universities, and colleges utilize SIP trunks to allow for patient care, education, and research purposes. By using a SIP trunk account, businesses and other organizations can maximize their capabilities by using their existing phones to dial important numbers, even when they are on the go. SIP trunks also allow users with multiple phone lines to make calls from one telephone number.
A typical SIP trunk account will provide features that include voice mail waiting signal, call forwarding, auto attendant, conference calling, music on hold and more. The auto-attendant feature of the SIP trunks service can be used as an alternative to having a live person answer the phone. The conference calling feature allows up to 12 people to join a single call, and these calls can be organized in any order. Phone numbers that are already in the system will display the callers’ names.
One of the benefits of SIP trunks is the ability to track all calls that are made and received by a particular provider. This information is known as ‘bandwidth.’ With an optimized sip trunk account, the bandwidth used by a provider can be precisely measured. The resulting figures will help providers make better choices about how to expand their services and increase their revenues from current users.
The majority of people who use the internet do so for communication purposes, either with colleagues or friends, or with suppliers and vendors. SIP trunks will allow organizations to manage their voice traffic in a cost-effective manner. The voice traffic will be moved between different servers and providers according to bandwidth requirements. The system will track voice traffic and allows the provider to allocate costs accordingly.
There are a variety of benefits that can be gained from sip trunk accounts. The primary benefit is the management of voice traffic. When a company expands and requires additional capacity, the addition of IP trunks on their existing internet connections can improve the ability to handle increased traffic. Another benefit is that if there is a power outage, the ability to communicate with other services will remain functional. Most trunks will return calls even when the internet connection is slow or non-functional.
The use of sip trunks can also help a business to save money. With a properly implemented phone system, there is the opportunity to utilize session initiation services that offer more control and efficiency than basic hands-free methods. Session initiation services will help a business to eliminate long hangs and enable seamless connectivity with VoIP clients.
SIP trunks are usually provided by the service provider and must be activated according to the terms of service. When an IP network is provided by the service provider, it is necessary for the user to select a SIP trunk account provider to establish an IP network. It is also possible for users to select their own SIP trunks, although most providers will assign an account to a specific user. This is usually the same provider that they would use to make telephone calls. When a phone system is already established, making phone calls using an IP network is as simple as dialing the phone number and placing the call.