FAQ
About SIP
SIP trunking is a method of delivering telephone and other unified communications services over the Internet to customers that have SIP enabled private branch exchange (IP-PBX) solutions. SIP utilizes both Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP), and it replaces traditional telephone lines or PRIs (Primary Rate Interface).
Traditional business phone systems consist of two key components. The PBX, which provides call management and features such as Auto Attendants and voicemail, and the PRI lines which connect calls to the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) where they are routed to the destination telephone. When SIP trunks are utilized, the IP-enabled PBX connects to the data network instead of the PRI lines and the voice traffic travels the Internet to connect to the PSTN. This method is typically much more cost effective than PRI lines.
PBX Support
These days, most new PBX systems are SIP-capable. There are several ways to check and see if your PBX is SIP-enabled. First, if your PBX has a data jack or Ethernet jack on the back, there is a good chance that it is SIP-capable. Older PBX or key systems just have analog lines to connect to the PSTN, so if your system does not have a data jack or Ethernet jack, it is probably not SIP-capable. However, in those cases, you can still use what is called an ATA (analog telephone adapter) that will convert SIP over to analog. The ATA will front-end your legacy PBX and allow you to use SIP.US trunks. ATAs come in a variety of sizes, from single port all the way up to 24 analog ports. ATA manufacturers include Cisco/Linksys, ObiHai, Grandstream, and others.
If your PBX has a data jack and you are still unsure if it's SIP-capable, you can check the user manual. You'll want to look for a section on 'configuring a SIP Trunk' or you might find it in the specifications section, typically located at the end of the manual. Look for words like SIP or SIP-enabled IP calling.
You can also contact us with the particular make and model of the PBX. We'll check it out for you and let you know for sure.
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