At a basic level, any decision between leveraging SIP trunking or UCaaS will have as much to do with the lifecycle of existing equipment as it does with the specific benefits of each choice. In this manner, are businesses ready to move away from their existing equipment? If so, then it might be time to think about UCaaS.
A Closer Look at SIP Trunking
If your organization has recently invested in an on-premises, IP-based PBX or unified communications (UC) service, it will likely make more sense to augment that solution with SIP trunking services instead of UCaaS. If the equipment is still there and you feel like you can still get a few years of use out of it, then it makes sense to stick with the equipment that you have and go with SIP Trunking services, which can be an efficient solution to your networking needs. Furthermore, many organizations will find that on-premises platforms are still the best fit for them, offering a greater level of customization, control, and integration with other on-premises applications than UCaaS solutions.
In addition, it is important to think about the role that licensing is going to play as well. If you already have existing equipment with good life span, then you might be able to save money on licensure for your existing equipment. Therefore, SIP Trunking could be a cost-effective solution for you in this respect as well.
When Switching to UCaaS Makes Sense
On the other hand, if your existing PBX platform is nearing the end of its life, then you have the opportunity to consider comprehensive UCaaS systems as a replacement. For many businesses, migrating to a UCaaS service might be a viable and cost-effective alternative to purchasing and deploying all the new hardware, software, and licenses for a new, on-premises platform. If you already have outdated equipment, then it simply makes more sense for you to go to the cloud instead.
Furthermore, with so many people who are working from home right now, you need to make sure that you have a system that is flexible enough but will also remain secure, protecting your data, the data of your employees, and the data of your customers from harm. UCaaS allows for easy deployment and flexibility to meet the needs of remote workers.
In addition, if you have offices in multiple locations, then you may want to consider UCaaS as a potential solution for your distributed network system. This can be a great way to make sure that all branches are operating off of the same network, making it easy for all branches to stay in sync while also having a central control for your entire network.
Both UCaaS and SIP Trunking Can Co-Exist
Lastly, the choice of SIP trunking or UCaaS services is not mutually exclusive. Increasingly, distributed enterprises are choosing hybrid deployments that combine the two platforms. In a hybrid deployment, a mix of SIP trunking and UCaaS services is used to match the needs of specific users or locations. While SIP trunks might be used to connect on-premises platforms at a larger office or contact center, the same organization could leverage UCaaS services for remote users or smaller branch locations. In well-designed hybrid architectures, businesses can take advantage of the right set of services to meet their specific needs.
Coeo Solutions is a Cloud-based service provider looking to educate you on telecom solutions that can benefit the productivity of your organization.
