Telecommunications have advanced radically over the years. These advancements have changed how we do business and what customers expect during business interactions. Therefore, companies expect agile and flexible Business Phone Systems. SIP Trunking is one of the best fits for companies of all types. How do you get started with SIP Trunking though? Switching to a new technology can seem daunting at first, but if you follow these simple steps, you shouldn’t have any issues.
Audit Existing Infrastructure
The first step is to audit your existing infrastructure. To accomplish this, you simply need to ask yourself the following questions:
- How many phone numbers do you have?
- What are they and how are they directed?
- Do you have dedicated numbers for different departments?
- What happens if a call goes unanswered?
- What features do you have? For example, do you have call waiting, voicemail, speech records, etc.?
- What are the different employee extensions?
Oftentimes, your phone bill can provide a lot of this information.
Establish Goals and Create a Plan
In order to get started with SIP Trunking, you need to include all of your employees in the migration process. In many instances they can alert you to problems that you were unaware of. This is oftentimes the easiest way to establish goals and create a plan. By knowing what you currently have and where you are currently lacking, you can establish what you need moving forward.
Select a SIP Provider
Once you establish what you need to be successful, you need to select a SIP provider. You should consider their coverage, support levels, security, and price. Once you’ve made your choice, they can help you determine what additional equipment you need. Sometimes you may need to increase your bandwidth as well. Your provider can help you make these choices.
Installation and Testing
At this point, your SIP provider can handle much of the legwork. They will oversee the installation process as well as testing your new solution. It’s important to run test numbers however, just to make sure everything is working to your satisfaction.
If you have any questions about how to get started with SIP Trunking, please contact Intuity today at (800) 811-1086. Please feel free to also follow us on Twitter.