What is SIP?

"What is SIP?" It's a question we will hear more often as VoIP phone systems and Open IP Networks become the norm. We may even become so familiar with this acronym that it becomes as pervasive as WWW , http and email when we refer to the Web.

What is SIP - a technicians perspective ?

SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol.

The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) commenced specification of the protocol in 1999.

The task force's objective was to specify a text-based protocol similar to HTML that could be used to initiate interactive media sessions. Not just voice sessions, but also: video, chat, virtual reality and interactive games sessions.

Other specifications included simplicity, and - services to be provided end-to-end.

The resulting ease of use and support for rich communications has resulted in the SIP protocol gaining rapid acceptance over alternative protocols including: MGCP and H.323.

See also: SIP VoIP PBX System

What is SIP - a business perspective?

SIP is a set of standards that reduce or even eliminate proprietary constraints on the use of VoIP phone systems. They enable cheaper telephony services and richer business communication.

Business understands that VoIP is a technology that can reduce the cost of telephony. However, many businesses are unaware that the cost savings can be much bigger. The explanation is that their business may still be using the public switched network (PSTN) to communicate with customers, prospects and partners. These parties are beyond the reach of their IP network unless SIP trunks are used.

The savings can be enormous as SIP trunks are a highly cost effective alternative to T1/E1 trunks and PSTN gateways and long distance PSTN call charges.

For business, SIP trunking is a technology that extends the features and benefits of VoIP phone systems to the outside world.

SIP is the basis for Open IP Networks. It challenges the necessity for paying a premium to buy proprietary technology. SIP compliant components from the VoIP PBX though to SIP hardphones, SIP softphones and SIP wireless 802.11 endpoints are cheaper than proprietary alternatives.

Over and above direct cost savings there is an even bigger payback in prospect from the adoption of SIP Open standards. They are the key to accelerating the pace of VoIP adoption. Once critical mass is achieved it will result in the elimination of geographic and time zone constraints on communication. The impact on business phone communication will be comparable to that of HTTP and SMTP on web browsing and email in the 1990's.

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