What Is a SIP Trunk Line?
What is a SIP Trunk Line? The simple answer is that it is an Internet telephone system, which enables you to make local or toll-free calls from your computer to any IP-based phone. SIP, short for Session Initiation Protocol, is a text-based telephone technology and internet communication service based on the Session Initiation Protocol that enables voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone service providers to deliver phone services over the Internet.
VoIP is a great solution for many business and home applications. It works over any broadband Internet connection, which is either DSL or cable. You can place VoIP phones anywhere in your home, apartment, or office and still be connected to the network. A subscriber has a computer, a router, or an IP phone, and the service provider provides a port for incoming and outgoing calls. This is very simple and convenient as you can have many calls going to your home at the same time.
Imagine being able to place a single phone call from anywhere in the world and be connected to your family or office at the same time. You would no longer need to get up from your desk and travel to take your call. Instead, all you would have to do is sit back in front of your computer, select the number you want to call and voila!
So what is a SIP Trunk Line and how does it work? Basically, when you first get your SIP phone service, you will sign up for a plan through your Internet phone provider. When your service is activated, the provider will assign you a unique telephone number, which is your unique SIP ID. The number is attached to your account which gives you access to your own private telephone number.
Now that you are a member of this association, you will have access to your own telephone number wherever you go. All you have to do is dial that telephone number on any of the public telephone networks (ISP’s) such as AOL, T-Mobile, Verizon, and others and you will be connected to the internet. From there, you can make as many calls as you want, even if you’re not using your own phone. As long as you have internet access, you can call anyone you want, even if they’re on the other side of the world!
This brings us to SIP trunks. A SIP trunk is a special type of virtual line used to make telephone calls. It does not involve any hardware or wiring because everything is done online. Instead, all calls are routed over the internet by using digital protocol (IP), a type of digital protocol that transmits information without changing the information that is already in the receiver’s or sender’s computer. The digital protocol allows the same voice call to go from one computer to another just like it would with an analog line.
The process of using a SIP trunk line is quite simple. You just need to have internet access so you can log into your account, create a SIP profile, select a unique user name and password, and select a port number. Once you have completed these steps, you can then dial an incoming number and talk to the person on the other end of the line just like you would with an analog line. Since the VoIP service is unlicensed, there are no restrictions on who can call what number or where they can call for that matter – you can talk anywhere you like.
Unfortunately, each residential VoIP provider has set prices for their trunk lines. So you may want to compare prices before selecting the best one for your usage. Also keep in mind that the price quoted is for the unlimited use of the phone feature for one year. If you don’t need that feature, it may be better to select a plan with a lower price.