When it comes to add-on features, there are wide disparities in the offerings of SIP providers, so it is important to determine which features are most important to your business and then factor this into your selection criteria. Not all SIP services work well with every IP-PBX, so you need to determine if the provider has experience with the system you have deployed, and can back it up with customer references. Here are some helpful tips on making a best-fit selection:

• Ask the provider about how it responds to network outages. Does it have fail-over mechanisms in place to route calls over redundant connections to ensure your business doesn’t miss calls if a local disaster strikes?
• Voice quality is always an important concern. Find out what extra steps the SIP provider uses to eliminate static and distortion, and whether the provider uses its own network, rather than the internet, to exercise better control over voice quality.
• Find out if the provider is a reseller of SIP services. If so, it may take more time to determine the source of a problem as the provider interfaces with intermediate carriers. Choosing an SIP provider with direct connections to Tier 1 carriers offers higher reliability and faster response to problems.
• Many Internet services rely heavily on automated processes to address support issues, and promise to respond within 24 hours. If your business does not have its own IT team, it may be best to choose an SIP provider that offers 24/7 phone support to address urgent concerns.
• Inquire about the provider’s capabilities in identifying and stopping fraud. The SIP provider should offer you controls as well. Call blocking, for example, would allow you to prevent access from certain countries or to certain destinations, and setting a credit limit on international calls would allow you to disconnect and block traffic that exceeds the limit.

Selecting the right SIP provider does require due diligence to make sure the provider can offer the features, reliability and flexibility your business needs.

Let’s talk about how SIP can improve your business communications. Contact us today: (800) 787-4848 or jnolte@ctsmd.us.