When discussing SIP, you have to consider whether or not it is the right service for you and whether it is an option that is made available by your current telecommunications provider.  If you are interested in switching, there are several other considerations that you should keep in mind as well.  You should ask yourself and your managed service provider whether or not your company is technology and telecommunications ready, whether it will be beneficial to change or not and whether the cost is absorbable.

SIP, or signaling protocol, has the ability to control multimedia communication sessions, including voice and video calls, over internet protocol.  Whether the session is unicast (as in modifying or terminating two party calls) or a multi-cast session, it can involve changing addressing or ports and inviting participants.  SIP can run on Transmission Control Protocol, User Diagram Protocol or Hypertext Transfer Protocal as well.

A SIP phone can be hardware- or software-based, allowing the ability to dial, answer, reject, hold or un-hold and transfer calls.  Examples of the technology include the Kphone and Windows Live Messenger.  These are only a few examples, however, and there are many more that should be considered.  One of the most famous examples of VOIP, or voice over internet protocol, is the Skype phones and services.

Some of the questions that you will have to ask your managed service provider before agreeing to make the change include: what are the exact benefits that you will realize by using a SIP/VOIP protocol for your business?  What equipment will you need to buy, rent or install to make use of the technology and what are the costs?  Do you need to have additional training of any kind for the staff to use the protocol?  Will you need to hire additional staff to take on the new responsibilities?   Managed service providers may suggest that you use a virtual telecommunications system to keep ahead of the technology and to reduce the need for any additional training requirements.

Before you make any major changes, you have to make sure that you are making the best choice for your company.  A good managed service provider will be able to answer all of your questions and explain the benefits as well as the drawbacks.  In addition, a good managed service provider should be able to explain how the cost of adding SIP to your telecommunications system will be beneficial or not.

Not all companies will benefit from SIP protocol, which is another consideration that must be kept in mind.  For those who are not as reliant on their telecommunications needs, SIP might be too advanced or too much technology for the cost.  Those companies who are reliant on the ability to communicate with many people throughout the day will not only benefit from the multimedia capabilities, but will flourish with the system.

Finally, managed service providers will discuss whether or not SIP is available in your area.  In some areas, SIP is not an option yet, so it is best to do your research.