SIP Trunking vs VoIP: Which One is Better

There is much jargon in the telecommunications industry. It can be challenging to decide what communication solutions are best for a company. This could make you wonder whether you must choose between SIP and VoIP. We’re here to clarify things and give you the information you need to move forward.

The first thing we’d like to do is define a few words so we can move forward:

1. IP: Internet Protocol
2. SIP: Session Initiation Protocol
3. VoIP: Voice Over Internet Protocol
4. Trunking: Grouping

Now that you have information about SIP and VoIP meaning, we can move forward. As experts in IP and SIP trunking, we’ll share what makes these two services different from one another.

The Characteristics of VoIP vs. SIP

The essential thing to be aware of is that VoIP and SIP are very different. SIP comprises rules that help make mass phone calls and connect multimedia MMS services. On the other hand, VoIP calls use Internet tech to allow the use of voice.

So what distinguishes a SIP phone from a VoIP one? VoIP is only capable of moving voice data across the Internet. However, SIP can transfer an assortment of multimedia files. It works with voice but can also be used for video, text messages, and more.

The way a SIP telephone operates is also different from a VoIP phone. VoIP calls are made through either an internal private network or the Internet. The former can use any network to transfer data packets in terms of SIP vs. VoIP. This includes the Internet, a VPN, or a physical phone network.

The most significant difference between SIP and VoIP is that VoIP phones need a computer to operate the connections and software. That isn’t the case for SIP equipment, which can operate independently.

Another term to be aware of is SIP trunking. This is the network where all your calls are made. A phone exchange is placed in your building, and the protocol is stored there. It’s also located on the equipment of your provider.

A direct connection may be available to the provider for those who handle sensitive data. This provides the extra security that you need.

Moving back to VoIP calls, these are controlled from a central location. A different provider has control over the traffic. This makes the system less secure, which can be an issue for some. In addition, if the system happens to go down, no calls can be made from your business.

Significant Differences Between SIP Trunk vs. VoIP

We talked a bit about how SIP vs. VoIP is different. However, getting more details about each option and how things work throughout the process is helpful.

SIP Phone Meaning

Session Initiation Protocol, or SIP, is composed of several rules. These are used to create multimedia communications to gain and terminate data transfer between different people.

When comparing SIP vs. VoIP, it’s often better to consider how SIP trunking can improve VoIP services. We’ll talk about the pros and cons later in this article.

VoIP Phone Meaning

VoIP is used as a term to reference all phone calls that are made using the Internet rather than a typical phone line. Instead of relying on a traditional PSTN (public switched telephone provider), data connectivity is the means to make and receive phone calls from clients, colleagues, and others.

As mentioned earlier, IP in VoIP stands for Internet Protocol. This broad term refers to any data that is moved across the Internet. However, when the data being transferred is voice, that is most commonly called VoIP.

VoIP is a method of describing all of the different call sessions from a single user. The term is industry-specific and makes it simpler to indicate precisely how many groups of calls might be required at one specific time.

The qualities and even features of VoIP may differ depending on the service type. Keep this in mind as we explore the pros and cons of SIP vs. VoIP.

Pros and Cons of SIP Trunking vs. VoIP

First, we will look at the pros and cons of VoIP. After that, we’ll delve into the benefits and drawbacks of using VoIP with SIP trunking. Use this information to decide whether SIP trunking is proper for you or if you’d instead focus on only VoIP for business communications.

Pros of VoIP

1. In many cases, VoIP providers do not require you to sign a long contract to use the service.
2. Most primary VoIP service options include call waiting, call forwarding, and caller ID.
3. The costs to invest in VoIP tends to be quite affordable.
4. There’s no need for on-site installation for VoIP, and the system is simple to transport.

Cons of VoIP

1. Bandwidth is required to ensure service availability and call quality (QoS).
2. VoIP can’t be integrated with some applications, such as Genesys or Pindrop.
3. It’s only voice broadcast service, so multimedia communication is not possible using it.

Pros of SIP Trunking

1. SIP trunking allows better integration with cloud-based apps, such as Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS).
2. Multimedia messages can be sent, and better scalability is met by adding video and other items to messages.
3. It acts as a failsafe for the device of employees if there is some data connectivity problem.
4. Offers improved integration with PRI lines.
5. Provides better pricing flexibility through the ability to add new features and channels as needed.

Cons of SIP Trunking

1. When used with the public Internet, SIP may have problems in terms of quality and security.
2. If there is insufficient bandwidth, excellent service quality may be harder to maintain.

Each SIP provider offers different features and services. It’s essential to browse your options and choose the one that best works for your business.

Choosing Between SIP vs. VoIP for Your Own Business

You might have realized that asking whether to choose SIP vs. VoIP might not be the right question. Why? SIP is a single protocol that may be used for business VoIP for scaling. SIP trunking is used to scale and support VoIP, but not every VoIP system has SIP technology to back it.

A combination of VoIP with SIP lets you go from simple voice calling to the ability to do videoconferencing, texting, instant messaging, traditional calls, and other multimedia communications. It’s the most commonly used protocol for VoIP, although each vendor may have a different definition of what it means.

So, asking SIP vs. VoIP isn’t a valid question. The question is whether to use SIP with VoIP. This can be a great choice as you take your basic capabilities and strengthen or add new features. Moving to SIP could also lead to cost savings and better business productivity.

Fulfill Your Multimedia Communication Needs with Esendex

At Esendex, we focus on providing the best communication software and APIs found on the market. We offer voice broadcasting, SMS APIs, phone verification APIs, and an SMS reseller program. Our programmable SMS API service could be suitable for your company.

Our voice API provides many features, such as text-to-speech, call control, audio streaming, real-time reports, and multichannel communication. Visit our website to learn more about how our solutions can help streamline communications at your company.