The video conference industry has adopted SIP for system and endpoint integration. These conferencing systems become more common, and they can be more easily integrated into unified communications (UC) and share information across different applications that can be useful for your company.
To start, let´s talk about what a SIP Phone is. This device is a phone that uses the Open Standard “SIP” to set up and manage phone calls. An IP-based network that uses another Open Standard called RTP carries the actual voice. The protocols are generically called “VoIP” or voice over internet protocol; that´s why they are sometimes called VoIP Phones.
At a basic level, SIP lines, are phones that use the internet instead of telephone lines, to communicate with other people. They look and function like traditional telephones with a number pad, a handset, and in most cases, a display for managing menu options and checking the call history.
HOW DO SIP PHONES CONNECT TO THE INTERNET?
SIP Phones connect with the use of a typical Ethernet cable. The first question is always about quality and connectivity concerns, but with the high-speed internet options being widely available, SIP Phones offer the same quality as a traditional phone line. The user won't know the difference between SIP and traditional phone systems. The zoom room SIP phone integration might also pass unnoticed in your company.
HOW ARE SIP PHONES CLASSIFIED?
They are two main categories that exist in the SIP Phone world.
-
Softphones or Software SIP Phones: Software-based SIP Phones are the software applications installed on your laptop or desktop to complete the phone calls over the Internet from the computer. They are virtual phones. Some of the most famous softphone available include Wengo, for example.
-
Hardphones: This phone functions like traditional phones but, as we mentioned earlier, they make calls through the IP network instead of a PSTN line. Hardware phones can share the existing system with your computer without having extra Internet service.
WHAT'S THE ROLE OF SIP IN A ZOOM ROOM?
SIP phones enable endpoints to find one another. Establishing a session and terminating it once the communication is complete. SIP provides a common signaling language for any rich media session, meaning not just voice, but also video and now instant messaging.
SIP Phone compromise two protocols: SIP for initiating and finalizing a session or meeting between endpoints and SDP (Session Description Protocol) for defining the type of session (video or audio) and also, the session parameters like codecs and encryption. SDPS allows app developers to leverage pre-existing encapsulation protocols.
SIP also allows people all over the world to communicate using not just their computers but also their mobile devices through the Internet, harnessing the benefits of voice over IP and having a satisfactory communication experience. That's why zoom room SIP phone integration is so popular.
Many organizations use SIP for their internal and external communication centered in BBX because, within many of its benefits, this technology is technically free worldwide, so cost efficiency wise is a smart choice for your business communications. It can save up to 30% of costs, especially if you need to make a lot of long distance calls.
Mobility is another benefit of implementing SIP phones if you are always moving or you are planning to move or have remote employees, your traditional landline setup might be a costly decision.
There are additional benefits as well including: integrating your Outlook contacts, CRM systems, and business applications and other functionality offered by some VoIP phones too.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE SIP FUNCTIONS?
-
Name Translation and User Location: SIP translates an address to a name, allowing it to reach the endpoint at any location. It does a mapping of the session description to location, verifying the details of the calls nature.
-
Feature negotiation: Not all communicating parties (which may be more than a couple) have the necessary features. Some of the devices might not have video support. SIP technology allows the group the negotiate for the features.
-
Call participant management: Do you need to pause during a call? SIP allows you to make or cancel connections. You can also transfer or place on hold a call if needed.
-
Call feature changes: During a call, you may want to enable video and then disable this feature, especially when many users join the meeting, SIP allows a user to change a call’s characteristics.
-
Media negotiation: This mechanism facilitates negotiation of the media used during a call. For example, you are selecting the right codec for call establishment between various devices.
THE STRUCTURE OF A SIP MESSAGE
Now we know that SIP works by having the communicating devices sending and receiving signal continuously. These messages carry a massive amount of data, which helps identify the session, control timing, and recognize the media.
WHAT DOES A SIP MESSAGE CONTAIN?
-
Session information
-
Participant information
-
Bandwidth information
-
Encryption information
-
Time description
-
Media description
-
Media bandwidth information
-
Media encryption key
What are you waiting? Start your zoom room SIP phone integration that helps your business grow and have efficient communications.