6 Tips for Planning and Improving Your SIP Connection
Are you getting ready for the many benefits of SIP trunking?
Need help planning and improving your SIP connection?
SIP trunking comes with a lot of business benefits and can help save on costs. It is also a highly efficient improvement over VoIP and can go a long way in creating better communication in your business.
However, there are a lot of things involved with making the switch that can be difficult to deal with if you’re not careful.
But don’t worry. Below we’ll tell you everything you need to know about planning and improving your SIP connection.
1. Consider All Costs
Using SIP trunking can be a very smart move. It’s great for saving money and businesses tend to love SIP because it does such a great job of lowering costs while also increasing efficiency. It’s also very cheap to expand later on and is very scalable.
However, it can be easy to overlook some costs that you will face when getting started. When initially getting set up on SIP, there may be setbacks along the way.
Unexpected costs may come up. For example, you may have previously thought that a piece of equipment would work with SIP only to find out later that it’s incompatible. This may require you to purchase more additional equipment than you initially thought was necessary.
Additionally, you need to decide whether you want to use one service provider for every included service or separate providers. Using one for everything can save on costs and allow a lot of simplicity.
Be sure to think about all potential costs beforehand. Also, have a bit of an extra budget just in case there are any surprises during the switch.
2. Plan For SIP Connection Setbacks
In addition to the problems you may face getting started and the extra costs that may come up along the way, unexpected problems can also disrupt the flow of your business.
Have a Plan B for any problems or issues that you may experience. This will allow you to make sure that your business doesn’t slow down during the transition. Aim for continuity and make sure that you have backup connections in place. Ensure that no communications will be disrupted as a result of the change.
It may be a good idea to have a backup internet provider during the transition that you can rely on if there are any breaks in service during the switch.
3. Think of the Future
When planning the switch to SIP, don’t just think about your current needs. Consider what you will need in the future as well. Will your business be expanding later on down the road?
Scalability is very easy with SIP but you need to be prepared for any changes in your business as well. This will help influence your decisions and ensure you make the best choice for your business and that there are no interruptions later on.
Keep in mind that SIP is a long-term investment. The longer you use SIP over time the better returns you’ll see from your initial investment. The costs will be less and less for each call you make
You also should be aware that you need to have equipment that will be able to work with upgrades to the system. Your entire network will be centered around your SIP trunks. It can be a problem to have hardware that becomes obsolete later on.
4. Know Your Bandwidth Needs
You also need to be clear about your bandwidth and usage needs when planning SIP trunking. Take the time to do the calculations of your bandwidth needs and think hard about what volume of calls you will need in your company.
SIP is very scalable so it’s easy to add more employees later on, but you do need to keep your bandwidth considerations in mind at the beginning as well. Know what you may need as your business grows.
It can be hard to determine your needs for traffic, voice, and data usage. Be sure to know what amount of quality, stability, and reliability you need.
In most cases, your business may already be well equipped. You’ll probably have enough bandwidth if you have T1, DSL, Metro Ethernet or cable, but you should ensure this beforehand.
5. Consider What Integrations You Need
Next, you need to decide what all needs to be included in your service. Find out what integrations your business will need to keep running smoothly.
Will your fax machines, credit card machines, and alarm systems be a part of the SIP service? Or will any of these use a separate provider or service?
One of the great things about SIP is that in many cases your existing telephone system and equipment will be able to be a part of the new SIP system. However, you need to think about this and double-check beforehand.
Make sure that you know going in what will be integrated with the new system and what won’t. This will allow you to be much more clear about your needs and your costs going forward.
6. Keep Employees Informed
When you’re going through SIP changes you need to make sure that your whole company is involved and is kept up to date. Employees can easily get frustrated during the transition so it is a great idea to keep them aware and make sure they know what is happening at all times.
Have a good timeline of events and keep employees updated on it. Loop them into the transition and you’ll be sure to make things easier for them if there are bumps along the way.
Additionally, by planning out your timeline well you’ll be able to offer employees the right training at the right time. This will ease the burden when using new equipment during and after the SIP transition.
Final Thoughts
Your SIP connection can change the way your business operates for the better and go a long way in reducing costs. However, you do need to make sure to plan it well and make sure you’re prepared for the changes.
By thinking about each of the points above you’ll be sure to have a good transition and make sure your SIP connection serves you well for years to come.
Looking for more information on SIP trunking? Contact us today to learn more.