There’s no denying that the popularity of cloud, VoIP, and other internet-based communications solutions have skyrocketed over the last few years. Solutions like cloud PBX and VoIP systems kept businesses running during the pandemic, and allows over 30% of Canadian employees to work remotely full-time, boosting their mental health and their overall productivity! All because their calls could be transmitted over the internet via SIP lines.
In this blog, we’re going to walk you through SIP lines – what they are, what they do, and how they can benefit your business. Even if you still use an on-premise solution. Let’s get started!
Wondering what SIP is? Not sure what the difference is between SIP lines and SIP trunks? Check out our informative blog to get the answers you need!
How SIP Lines Benefit Your Business
Benefit 1: Can Be Used by Any PBX.
It’s a common misconception that SIP lines can only benefit SIP-based PBX systems. That’s just not true! SIP trunks can not only connect to SIP phones but also legacy, on-premise systems, allowing companies to move away from POTS lines while keeping their current system.
Benefit 2: Significant Cost Savings
Unlike traditional phone bills that can fluctuate wildly and often be difficult to understand, SIP lines offer predictable, simple billing. How? Because SIP providers usually charge per user per month. Or, in some cases, per line per month. Have 150 lines? Your bill will reflect that.
SIP lines can also save you quite a bit of money. Since SIP lines use the internet, it transforms long-distance and international calls into local calls, making them far more affordable. It also means you don’t have to pay for expensive, physical phone lines – or pay to have someone install them!
Benefit 3: Local Numbers for All
Thanks to the remote work boom, many teams are scattered across the country. Some in Georgia, some in Nevada, and others in different countries like England or Germany. And while that’s excellent for your business – you get the best of the best no matter what – it could be frustrating for your customers. After all, how would you feel if you went to call a “local company” but discovered you had to dial an international number to reach them? Pretty frustrated, we’d imagine.
But with SIP lines you can route calls, via the internet, anywhere in the world. So, you can easily assign local numbers to non-local team members and be confident those calls will connect, without having to pay exorbitant fees.
Benefit 4: A Swift ROI
There aren’t a lot of solutions that generate a healthy ROI right from the start. But SIP lines do. There’s no need for you to invest in specific hardware or make any massive up-front investments. All you have to do is switch to SIP lines using a trusted provider. And you’ll start seeing those cost savings right away. In addition, SIP lines have more flexibility than traditional phone lines (like providing local numbers to out-of-state team members) and more capabilities, meaning you’ll be getting much more for much less.
Benefit #5: Limitless Growth
Finally, since SIP lines rely on an internet connection, you don’t need to purchase traditional communication devices when you expand. No more PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) gateways or PRI (Primary Rate Interface) lines for you. Now everything is done on a single network, making it much easier to add, edit, or remote users to your communications system, as well as adjust your bandwidth.
What to Look for in a SIP Line Provider
While there are so many more benefits to SIP lines, it’s equally important to talk about the perfect SIP line provider. What do they look like? What should you expect from them? Read on to find out!
Fair, Transparent Pricing.
SIP lines are often charged per line per month, with the flexibility to add more lines or fewer depending on what you might need. Be sure your provider is open and up-front about what kind of fees are necessary, and what kind of costs you can expect on a monthly basis.
Please Note: Many SIP providers charge for SIP trunks, not SIP lines. If you’re a small business, a SIP trunk will probably contain far more SIP lines than you need so be sure the provider you choose offers both.
Excellent Data & Network Security.
If you’re choosing to trust a SIP line provider with your communications, their security measures better meet (or even exceed) your expectations. Besides, hat are they doing about SPAM calling? Do they employ an anti-fraud system? Do they actively encrypt your data? These are just a few questions you should ask to determine if a provider is right for you.
Hardware Compatibility.
If you’re looking to keep your current PBX system, be sure your SIP provider offers a solution that’s compatible with it. The best providers have ways to configure their SIP lines to work with any type of PBX.
24/7, Expert Support.
A lot of SIP providers offer a great service but don’t know it backward and forward. They might try to outsource their support to another company rather than deal with it themselves. Look for a provider that offers end-to-end support – agents that know your configuration and what can be done to fix, update, or improve it should something happen.
Disaster Recovery & Failover Plans.
Your SIP lines should continue to function despite any hack, natural disaster, or other emergencies. So be sure your provider has a top-notch disaster recovery plan in place, as well as georedundant failover, to ensure your calls connect no matter what.
Get the Best of the Best, with Excel Telecom
If finding the right SIP line provider sound like the right move for your business, check out ours! Excel’s SIP lines are reliable, secure, geo-redundant and the perfect complement to any PBX system. But don’t take our word for it! Give us a call for your free consultation.
