Sip Trunking for School Phone Systems

Communication. It is one of the critical components of a successful private school. While the trusty old Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and it’s E1 or T1 lines, BRI or Analog lines have been revolutionary – it’s time to move on. IP telephony is being phased in by more private schools and businesses, more modern and flexible SIP Trunks can improve the way you communicate. 

Many large telecom providers have begun to phase out PSTN functions and direct customers to the IP instead. Most EU countries have phased out ISDN already. Modern businesses have made the switch to SIP Trunks because the future of communication is speed and clarity. 

What is SIP Trunking?

SIP is short for Session Initiation Protocol. They are replacing traditional telephone lines with more modern solutions. SIP trunking will allow your private school to have a unified communication capability – using your high-speed internet. 

A SIP trunk will be connected to an IP compatible phone system. This will allow private school personnel to make calls to any number. A single SIP channel can handle as many channels as your private school needs. The number of SIP channels will determine how many phone calls can be made at the same time. 

SIP utilizes Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to replace traditional phone lines. 

Why SIP Trunking and How Will it Benefit my School?

One of the most important factors when making decisions on behalf of a body of staff and students is the benefits. Switching providers, introducing new policies – they all need to have an advantage. 

Sips trunking is a scalable and flexible option that can be configured to meet your school’s needs. You only pay for the SIP trunk channels that you need, and when you need to add more or cancel some, you can do it on-demand. 

Your private school can benefit from SIP trunking in terms of management. You will have a transparent bill that will allow you to take control of the school’s communication costs—low fees for local rates and toll-free direct dial numbers. Being able to budget well is paramount, and with SIP trunking, that is possible. 

Call quality is higher with SIP trunking than with a traditional phone line. Your staff and students are guaranteed to have a higher call quality. 

SIP vs. ISDN

Integrated Service Digital Networks require users to pay separately for voice and data services, and it relies on a traditional copper network to deliver data and voice. SIP is more modern and provides both data and voice via the internet. This is what makes SIP the best choice for fuss-free communications within a school setting. ISDN is set to be discontinued as soon as 2025, so making the switch to SIP trunking is the best option. 

SIP vs VoiP

Confusing VoIP and SIP is common; however, they are not the same thing. SIP is the tech that enables VoIP; however, SIP channels handle high-definition video, making it more beneficial for video calling and remote conferencing. 

There are many other differences between SIP vs VoIP but that is the most important one to remember.

Will My Staff be Able to Use SIP Trunking Easily?

A significant concern for many schools is the ease of use for their staff. SIP is designed to give the smoothest communication between teachers, students, parents, and school administration. 

SIP Trunks can be used with your current analog adapters or SIP-to-T1 gateway; by doing this, you can keep your legacy PBX equipment and still benefit from lower telecom costs. 

There are many technical things that you can add to your school system that will require the support of an IT team or customer support often. SIP trunks aren’t on that list. They are easy to manage, and the system is intuitive, so it doesn’t take much training to understand how to use it well. 

It can be challenging for larger schools to ensure your communication systems offer you enough flexibility. However, a SIP trunk can give your staff that. 

SIP can also be used for instant messaging, video conferencing, and presence information. It cuts down on the need for extra devices and allows your staff to communicate how they feel is more effective. 

Your staff will only need to be trained in a single system, rather than multiple systems requiring a range of hardware. You are consolidating all of your communication needs onto one device. 

My School Budget is Tight, is SIP Trunking Affordable?

Private school budgets are tight, and it is vital that any technology or a new system that is added is cost-effective and fits within the budget. More than just cost-effective, the technology should add value too. SIP adds value and is budget-friendly. 

Traditional telephone lines are expensive and often come with long term contracts – even if the service isn’t excellent. On the other hand, SIP trunk service providers will have a flexible contract, have long-distance calls included in packages, and have a low monthly fee per channel. 

Private school administration can rely on the predictability of the SIP fee system. They can also rely on reliability even with flexible Sip Trunk pricing.

Many traditional telecom companies will sell telephone lines in a group of 26. Yet, many schools don’t need that many lines – making it an expense with no benefit. SIP can be installed in as little as one channel (which is a single line).

Giving you the ability only to have the exact amount of lines you need. No excessive spend and zero unused lines. Budget-friendly, and value-added SIP for private schools. 

Can my School Receive a Discount?

Yes. If your private school is eligible, you can receive a discount on telecommunications services, telecommunications, internet access, and internal connections, managed internet broadband services, and basic maintenance. 

The discount you may receive is between 20 to 90%; this is based on the school’s need. 

The FCC has an E-rate program that makes information services and telecommunications more affordable for libraries and schools. An eligible school or library will identify the services and/or goods that it needs, and submit a request for competitive bids to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). You can read more about the potential discounts that your school can get for SIP trunking on the FCC website.

Are There Instant Benefits For My School Using SIP Trunking?

It is essential to know that when you make changes within the infrastructure of a private school that the benefits are quick—the changes that are made within a school impact teaching staff, administration staff, students, and parents. With SIP, there is a range of benefits that your school will notice instantly. 

Savings

With traditional phone service, you are playing for local calls, long-distance calls, international calling, and more. These costs aren’t always well explained. SIP trunking for your private school will give you access to a simple pricing structure. 

ROI

Private schools may not always see an ROI on technology investments that they make. Yet, with SIP trunking only has a minimal upfront investment. Without that capital investment, private schools switching to SIP will see a saving on the first bill – a return on the initial tiny investment. 

Mobility

There are some instances where the requirement to communicate remotely and across the globe come into play. SIP allows your school to connect staff via their mobile device. This gives flexibility and support for staff and increases the ability to communicate with parents, students, and other members of the school. 

Network Consolidation

Many schools pay for data and telephone services separately, even if they use a single provider. This can be inconvenient. SIP trunking will enable you to move your data and voice to a single network. Treating voice calls as a form of data transmission. While this will increase the demands on our data connection, the monthly savings, increased clarity, and increase reliability outweigh that. 

Simple Management

IT departments can be costly, and so can waiting for lines for customer services. SIP trunking offers an easy-to-use admin portal that allows for on-site management and can include a range of actions. Changing extensions, adding phone lines, and call routing can all be handled on-demand. And, if you should need it, your SIP provider can help too. 

Is SIP Trunking Right For My School?

The savings alone make SIP trunking a coveted and exciting prospect for most private schools. The reliability and flexibility can help manage new staff arriving, and department changes with ease. 

SIP is the right choice for private schools that are looking to streamline their communications system and cut back on the amount of hardware that is required. Reducing the costs of having both data and voice packages, and combining those services into one makes a significant impact on the monthly budget. 

The world of education has seen some significant challenges, and having a communications system that can adapt and provide teachers, administration staff, and students the ability to communicate seamlessly is essential. 

If you like the idea of seeing an immediate saving within the first month of switching to SIP trunking, the ability to equip your staff with reliable and fast voice calls, and multimedia calls, as well as the endless mobility; then SIP trunking is the right choice for your private school.