PRI Lines vs SIP Trunks-Which One to choose for Yur Business - Tata Tele Business Services

SIP trunks and PRI lines serve the same purpose of facilitating voice communications. However, both have very different capabilities, and businesses should opt for one that fits into their existing setup while also suiting their unique requirements more efficiently. An understanding of their deployment models and maintenance processes helps to make the right choice..

What is a better option between a Primary Rate Interface (PRI) and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunks for business communication?

Different IT and telephony professionals may have conflicting answers to the question. While both the lines are used to deliver voice and data solutions and have their own benefits, PRI is an older technology than SIP. It is good to understand the features of each to determine which suits your business needs better.

PRI

As a voice technology, PRI has been used since the 1980s. It is an interface standard deployed on Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) to deliver voice and data channels into an enterprise’s existing PBX via a physical circuit. It is a high-capacity service delivered on E1 or T1 trunk lines between the telecom service provider and the business location. In India, a single PRI E1 line has 32 channels, of which two are used for signalling and 30 for voice, video and data-based communication.

With its physical hardware, PRI requires the support of service provider for its deployment, upgrades and troubleshooting.

Benefits of PRI

• Does not rely on data bandwidth to support voice calls
• Brings high call quality thanks to a dedicated line structure
• Can offer redundancy benefits with the addition of a second PRI circuit for failover

SIP

SIP is a newer technology that delivers voice through the Internet. The available Internet bandwidth determines the number of deployable trunks. It is primarily a network technology and enables calling on (Voice over Internet Protocol) VoIP lines. SIP trunks are digital and do not need any additional hardware for installation. They support the transmission of voice calls as also data and other multimedia transmission.

Benefits of SIP

• Offered by service providers on a per-channel basis according to demand: a business pays only for the capacity availed
• Is generally 30% to 40% cheaper than PRI lines and cost-effective to maintain
• Offers failover to mobile phones in case of sudden data connectivity loss
• Comes with simple-to-use portals for network monitoring and administration
• Extends support for multiple locations and remote workers
• Is easy to scale with changes in the number of users and phone lines
• Can be integrated with PRI phone lines for a hybrid communication and networking system

Which is a better option for your business communication?

Both PRI and SIP have their unique features and advantages. The choice depends on the nature of the organisation along with its business goals and willingness to adopt new communication and collaboration features.

Opting for PRI

Most users agree that in terms of call quality, PRI is superior. This is because PRI is a telecom solution and not a network technology – it is not affected by network interferences, packet loss and jitter that might occasionally impact SIP. PRI is, therefore, recommended for businesses that need mission-critical call quality.

Security is another benefit of PRI lines. The traffic travels through a privatised telecom network and is not exposed to the public Internet.

If your office has legacy PSTN infrastructure and limited access to fibre-optic Internet connectivity, PRI would be a cost-effective service to implement. It also helps companies with high call volumes and insufficient bandwidth to support IP-based phones. PRI is, therefore, recommended for businesses with round-the-clock contact centres or frequent calls across their own locations.

Although the service provider offers support, organisations opting for PRI must have an in-house team to maintain the trunks.

Opting for SIP

SIP is a more flexible technology than PRI. As your business and voice calling needs increase, you can easily add more trunks on this virtual connection and expand it to new locations while also retaining the old telephone numbers.

SIP also supports business continuity and disaster recovery plans strongly. If your phone lines at one work site go down, it offers instant backup and enables you to reroute calls to another SIP trunk (provided by the same vendor). There is no need for an added backup system.

SIP solutions are ideal for businesses that cannot afford to keep dedicated IT staff for the upkeep of phone lines.

Still wondering which option to pick for your calling needs? Get all your queries answered by a Tata Tele Business Services representative at 1800-266-1800.