Traditional phone systems for business are being replaced with the state-of-the-art phone services in recent days. This replacement happens at a very rapid pace. VoIP and SIP are some of the notable technologies offered as alternatives to desk phones. The main reason behind this replacement is the additional features offered by the IP network when compared to the traditional phone lines. These features include,

• Unified communications
• Multimedia communications
• Video conferencing
• Instant messaging

Using a broadband connection rather than a telephone network makes it possible for these ‘soft’ phones to deliver more than what the best traditional phone can put on the table. We shall explore in greater depth the SIP phones in this article; compare & contrast them with the VoIP phones; finally, analyze whether you need best small business phone deals for your business communication.

The advent of IP telephony for business phones

Before getting on with the SIP phones, let us try to understand what the internet has got to do with the telephones. IP stands for Internet Protocol. This Internet Protocol enables the devices working on its platform to use the internet to transmit data. So, for your voice calls, the data would be digitized & transferred over the internet. Upon reaching the receiver’s end, it would again be converted into a format perceivable by our human senses. This has paved way for a paradigm shift in the communication sessions of businesses.

Making call transfers, putting callers on hold became possible with crystal clear voice transmission. To put a cherry on top, the technology being software-based enables smooth integration with computers and smartphones too. So, the idea of using a cloud phone which extends the basic phone capabilities caught fire among businesses. Thus, explaining the rapid adoption of this tech right from the ’90s.

Using IP phones or softphones

The primary requirement is to have an ethernet cable that brings in robust & reliable broadband. Since the entire communication solely depends on the internet, it is imperative to make a wise choice when choosing one. Once connected to the internet, the next step is to choose amongst the various VoIP service providers. The UK market offers umpteen choices! They also provide users with phone service to select the telephone number they want. Remember to peruse thoroughly their charges before onboarding one. Unlike a standard phone, using the softphone is made easier by applications that provide users bundle of features. These applications can be installed on PCs or smartphones without any hassle! Now users are good to use their phones for their specific business needs.

Exploring the IP phones & SIP technology

SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol. This is a communications protocol that aids in getting your communications across the devices using the internet. Thereby, this declutters its devices from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) used by the standard phones. This enables a stream for unified communications in addition to voice calls such as instant messaging, video conferencing, placing multiple calls & so. It also offers the SIP trunking facility which gives the flexibility to purchase multiple channels for communicating. This when compared to the two dozen channels offered by the alternative seems to be a great deal! The purchased SIP trunks can be hosted over the VoIP services through the WAN connections available or even over the public internet.

Role of a SIP server

A call is made through a SIP device by sending a notification to a SIP server. It is from this server the subsequent connection is made. Depending on the extension code of the receiver, the call would be patched by the server to the PSTN network. The support of the SIP server also extends towards making sure that the call quality stays pristine.

Differences between a SIP phone & a VoIP phone

Though they seem similar on the outside, SIP & VoIP phones are quite different underneath. Long story short, SIP always requires VoIP to function, but the converse is not true. SIP is more of a facilitator which provides the means to communicate efficiently through VoIP. VoIP is only limited to voice calls while SIP extends its capabilities to multimedia communications.

SIP phone vs VoIP phone

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is used for transferring voice data over the internet rather than conventional telephone lines. SIP runs on VoIP and leverages it to share documents & multimedia files of other sorts. Besides, SIP trunking goes beyond connecting with just cloud phones. It allows you to get connected with other telephones over the PSTN network too! VoIP has abstained from all these features owing to its inherent limitations. Thereby, SIP becomes the go-to choose for those seeking unified communications.

Using SIP in your telephone system

The clock is ticking since the announcement. Which one you ask? The one that says that the PSTN will be shelved in the UK by 2025. Going digital with a short runaway can put tremendous stress on your workforce, let alone your business processes. So, it’s high time to get your business acquainted with this tech! So, here’s something you might want to know.

Looking a bit deeper, SIP phones generally fall into two categories viz.

• Hard phones
• Softphones

Softphones run on software that can be installed in devices like PCs or smartphones, while a hard phone shares its looks with a conventional desk phone. The similarities between hard phones and desk phones stop right there. The hard phone uses VoIP tech to transfer data through an ethernet cable. But the hard phones shared the dreaded limitation of a desk phone – it remains stationary! With the developing culture of working remotely, this might pose a bit of trouble. Nevertheless, a softphone allows its user to avail of all those features. Including SIP devices in your business telephone system helps you enjoy a wide range of benefits, not limited to those listed below.

• Ability to scale the SIP connections in line with the business requirements.
• Being light on the hardware, SIP saves you from hefty investments upfront.
• Lag-free high-definition call quality since it is void of the losses due to the conventional setup.
• Call routing and re-routing options when unanswered.

Softphone Providers

Choosing your phone provider is the most critical part while adopting SIP. Make sure by all means that they provide reliable support 24×7. They also need to have equal skin in the game as you since your entire business communications shall now depend on the services they offer. Every minute that passes by waiting for them to resolve an issue adds yet another dissatisfied customer to your list.

The next thing to bear in mind is your future requirements. When starting out with SIP, it may seem not much, but once your business scales down the line, the boat you are in should bear the load. This is where knowing about the infrastructural & network capabilities of the service provider comes into play. Know how well their presence is covering your markets & choose accordingly.

Finally comes the choice for your SIP phone. Softphone being pretty much a software, here are some top SIP phones providers available in the market.

• The VoIP Shop (Highly Rated phone systems for small business uk )
• Panasonic
• Nextiva
• Poly
• Cisco
• Avaya

The hard phones in turn come in the most basic forms with dial pads and go all the way to the advanced versions providing multi-colour display and provisions to get connected with WiFi & Bluetooth. So, get listed with the requirements your business asks for. Compare & contrast them with what those in the market offer & take an informed decision. Here’s to adopting SIP & scaling your business, cheers!