SIP trunking is already proving a powerful draw for many businesses and looks set for significant future expansion, according to the results of a newly published survey in the US.
SIP trunking – or ‘session initiation protocol’ trunking – enables a company to adapt its existing private business phone systems exchange (or PBX) to send and receive calls via the internet. One of the main incentives for introducing SIP trunking is that calls made using internet protocol (IP) telephony are generally cheaper than those made over conventional telephone network lines.
Indeed, according to the survey, of those already using SIP trunking, 60% cite strong economic benefits, with savings being reported of at least 10% over previous bills.
Of those surveyed, over a third claim to have given the green light to the application of SIP trunking within their organisations. Moreover, 56% of respondents say they are now looking to invest further in SIP trunking by the end of 2011.
The survey does however pick up on a degree of concern regarding SIP trunking, with 45% of respondents saying they have reservations about the reliability of the technology.
The survey, for Voice Report in association with research organisation BizTechReports, was based on the responses of 138 executives who have authority to make decisions on behalf of their companies in areas including those affecting business phone systems.
Although the survey was conducted in the US it is likely to have implications for progress in other developed countries regarding the take-up of SIP trunking, and the concerns associated with this take-up.
In the UK, SIP trunking and VoIP (voice over internet protocol) in general are already starting to be utilised by companies and in which a great deal of interest is currently being expressed.
