SIP trunking services are poised for massive adoption. We saw signs of this at the recent Enterprise Connect conference where the industry conversation has shifted from enthusiasm to a more pragmatic discussion on how to make the service work.

With the ability to significantly cut costs and future-proof communications investments, many businesses are taking a closer look. So are service providers and carriers seeking to reduce their cost and streamline management. SIP trunks only require a fraction of the floor space and surrounding infrastructure compared to traditional PRI (primary rate interface) circuit.

In fact, several major carriers and service providers have begun to phase out legacy phone services altogether in favor of SIP Trunking. Some no longer offer traditional TDM (Time Division Mulitplexing) trunks in sections of the U.S. and we expect the move toward SIP trunking to accelerate.

This all shows us that SIP trunking is moving beyond the early ‘promise’ stage toward the active evaluation process, which will lead to a significant upswing in implementations. Some upfront planning and testing can help to optimize the solution.

Getting the right SIP trunking service
But not all SIP trunking services are created equal. Just because this service is based on the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) industry standard doesn’t mean that it will work with every SIP-enabled device. And this is where adoption has been slower than many initially anticipated.

A number of businesses have made the false assumption that any SIP trunking service would work within their communications environment, delivering the full range of promised benefits. But as our interoperability testing has shown, this is not always the case. Just because a technology is based on an industry standard doesn’t ensure it will run smoothly across every platform.

In the SIP School’s 2015 Survey, more than 70 percent of respondents had experienced problems with the service. One-way audio is a common issue and in some cases even no audio at all. Dropped calls are another problem that can be caused by SIP interoperability issues. All those savings go out the window if the company is missing business opportunities. When you consider E911 services, this becomes potentially life threatening.

Test for the Best
Prevention is often the best cure. Interoperability testing can identify trouble areas early and determine an appropriate solution. Or help a business realize that a particular SIP trunking service is not the right one.

In fact, the vast majority of SIP trunking issues can be easily resolved with the insight that interop testing provides. It’s typically not rocket science. With nearly three out of four implementations experiencing problems that can be easily resolved, you see the need for more testing.

But don’t wait until after making a decision to verify it works. Try to move interoperability testing up into the negotiation stage to quickly understand issues beforehand. In fact, make it a requirement in your Request for Proposal (RFP). Service providers who validate SIP trunking often realize dramatic improvements in speed of deployment as well as return on investment and customer satisfaction.

tekVizion is an independent lab with deep SIP trunking experience combined with expertise to help optimize the solution. With our new tekVizionVerified guarantee, we stand behind our results with an assurance that SIP trunking services will work in the configuration tested.

Businesses ultimately select SIP trunking to simplify management of the communications network and reduce costs. But a service that doesn’t work properly defeats both of these objectives. Testing beforehand is a small step to ensure your getting the full range of benefits from your SIP trunking service.