Audian’s Blog

Although some businesses turn to SIP trunking because they can't connect to PR1 and T1 trunks, there are so many other benefits to implementing SIP trunking. They include:

• Delivery of flexible business continuity.
• Lower operating costs when compared to PR1/T1 trunks.
• Additional services such as free on-net (SIP to SIP) calling.

Due to its popularity and cost-effectiveness, many companies continue to request SIP trunking installation from their PBX and SBC vendors and VARs providers. However, these installations don't go as smoothly as expected.

According to the 2016 SIP Survey from SIP School, 80 percent of installations end up having one or more problems. Since SIP trunking isn't "plug-and-play" like the more traditional PR1 and T1 trunks, enterprises should expect problems during implementation.

Before undertaking a SIP trunking implementation, enterprises need to plan carefully and use an integrated approach. The success of the implementation depends on the business's network and IT staff. As such, they should leverage industry best practices to ensure a smoother implementation.

Also, knowing what challenges to expect (and viable solutions to those challenges) will go a long way in facilitating a successful implementation. Let's take a look at some of the common challenges that enterprises face during a SIP trunking implementation.

Lack of adequate expertise

Despite the decreasing barriers of WAN and security infrastructure, only 15 percent of organizations have successfully migrated to SIP trunking. This has been traced to four major obstacles: SIP support, magnitude, silos and complexity. A SIP trunking implementation is a complex undertaking and most enterprises do not have the requisite expertise for a successful migration.

Organizations segmented into separate departments make it difficult for network managers to create a comprehensive deployment strategy. More often than not, organizations do not have the training or tools to handle the new technology, making the adoption of SIP trunking an exercise in futility.

Choice of vendor

One of the most important factors that determine the success of a SIP trunk implementation is the choice of vendor. Enterprises should carefully research SIP vendors and their capabilities. It's best to get client references and have an idea of the problems they encountered during implementation. Using RFI is a great way to examine the vendor's capabilities and determine whether the implementation will be a success.

In the RFI, network managers should also ask for alternative pricing and cost-saving measures. They should also determine how knowledgeable the vendor's personnel are, the level of customer support they can provide, whether a PBX configuration will be used, and if the entire solution will be sole sourced.

Adequate resources

Implementation requires a lot of teams working together to ensure success. Enterprises should check to see if they have the right combination of in-house personnel and external resources. It's never a good idea to assign resources to other projects halfway through a SIP implementation.

Always ensure that the SIP trunks are sized appropriately for the conversations they are to handle. It's usually best to oversize just a little. Lastly, ensure that the implementation project is done as a controlled rollout rather than a hard cut over. Once problems are encountered during the SIP implementation process, having the flexibility to regress to a previous deployment will be a welcome development.

Conclusion

Audian's advanced, dynamic and instantly scalable phone systems are built on the concept of "Telecompetence," a construct that aims to provide the most efficient telecommunications systems and support to businesses, so they can concentrate on what truly matters.

Our technicians are always on hand to assist you during a SIP trunk installation to smooth out the rough edges and ensure a smooth and seamless implementation. By taking advantage of Audian's "Telecompetence" construct, you'll be leveraging years of expertise in the Voice and Unified Communications industry to ensure the success of your SIP trunk installation.