Click Here
for more articles |
|
|
How to Never PayHotel Phone Bill Again |
by:
Jim Sherman |
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) issignaling protocol for establishing sessions inIP network. But if you are like most of us, that means nothing to you. In layman's terms, SIP ismethod by which various computers can talk to one another so that they can complete voice calls. The protocol is increasingly being adopted asstandard means by which computers communicate to facilitate VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol. So you can imagine SIP ascommon language for new generation operators to speak to connect calls. However, there are no operators there is only your computer (or other hardware) and that ofperson you are speaking with. That brings this introduction to some ofmany benefits of SIP communication.
The goal of SIP was to provide users with many offunctions and features they typically expect with making phone calls, such as familiar rings, hearingring back tone whencall is placed, andprocess of dialingnumber. SIP goes beyond this however, also implementingnumber of advanced features. Despite its’ convenient interface that mirrors that oftypical telephone call, SIP is based oninternet protocol rather than that oftelephone industry. Because of this, SIP is able to work seamlessly alongside other internet based protocols. This has allowedtechnology to uniquely establishuser location, meaning that you can tellIP address or "location" from whichperson is makingcall, something vital for offering emergency services. It also allows for coordination amongstvarious participants in deciding upon what call features will be supported, as well as providingprotocol for call management which allows for adding, dropping, or transferring call participants.
One ofmost exceptional benefits of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) is its application with Private Branch Exchange (PBX). A private branch exchange isprivate telephone network used withinenterprise in which users sharecertain number of outside lines for external telephone calls. This providessignificant cost savings tocompany because it allows companies to quickly and easily make calls within their institution, as well as save by limitingnumber of external phone lines that must be maintained. SIP can extend these cost savings dramatically by offering users free long distance calls worldwide. Once again, because SIP is internet based rather than running over traditional telephone lines,cost of call transmission are as cheap as say sendinge-mail, that is to say, Free! While PBX is alreadyefficient use of office resources incorporating SIP intoPBX means taking such savings and capabilities tonew level. Incorporating SIP gives users’ access to free interoffice communications, long distance calls, as well as huge savings in setup and transaction costs. These transaction cost savings are due tofact that SIP is based on internet protocol allowing forability to physically move phones without any need for rewiring or new setup costs. Because thatsystem is peer-to-peer rather than cog and wheel like hardwired telephony means that there is no complicated setup necessary, but rather users can simply plugphone into any available broadband connection and withoutneed for any complicated hardware or software, calls are ready to be made and received.
This brings us to what is potentiallygreatest savings that SIP provides. We all hate to have to pay $two.zerozero for makingsimple local call fromhotel room. But for those of us that have had to pay exorbitant long-distance charges from hotels,level of angst felt reaches new heights. Add to thisfact that often companies require conference calling for their employees,service that hotels are all too happy to chargehigh premium to provide. For companies that havelot of their employees traveling or practicing in various locales,overhead costs of making such calls can really putdamper on year end profits. SIP offerssolution to hotel bills, and for that matter all telephone bills whatsoever. Just as sendinge-mail is free whether you are sending that e-mail toperson acrossstreet or aroundworld, so makingcall using SIP from any locale to any other locale inworld is free. All that is needed isbroadband connection. And just as one can sendemail from whereverinternet can be accessed, SIP users can make their free calls fromoffice,home, or even (gasp)hotel room. Not to mentionhuge savings in regular long-distance charges,simple fact that long distance and local calls can be made for free from hotel rooms (most of which offer complimentary broadband service) isenormous long-term cost savings. But add to thisfact that conference calls are available at no additional cost, which can be explained by followingprinciple that sendinge-mail to many individuals atsame time is just as cheap as one to one communication. Altogether these savings mean that companies who have inpast been laden with high local and long distance phone bills will be able to have their employees keep in close communication no matter their location for free.
SIP goes beyond this, however. Because SIP uses peer-to-peer connections there are no extra costs for having hundreds or even thousands of employees making SIP calls whereasmanagement costs for suchsystem under traditional telephony would be astronomical. This is nevercase with PBXs that utilize SIP inpeer to peer connection format, however, where structural costs do not increase as your business grows and your usage ofPBX increases.
Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) offers customers of traditional telephony fantastic cost savings,flexibility to make free calls from anywhere inworld at any time, andability to expandPBX system with no setup costs. Because there is no complicated hardware or software necessary to setup SIP inPBX, implementingtechnology is as simple as having access via broadband tointernet. Due to these benefits as well as innumerable others, expanded use of SIP in PBX and invariety of other settings is simplymatter of expanded customer exposure topossibilities of SIP.
Aboutauthor:
Jim Sherman writes about interesting topics such as Mobalex technology. See http://www.mobalex.comfor more information.
Circulated by Article Emporium
|
|
