A SIP trunk is a virtual phone line that connects your phone system to the telephone network over the internet. It replaces the physical lines once installed in the building and lets you make and receive calls over data instead. SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, the technology that sets up and ends the calls. For many companies a SIP trunk is the first step away from old, expensive fixed telephony.
How a SIP trunk works
- The phone system connects to the operator over the internet instead of a physical line.
- Each trunk can handle several simultaneous calls, and you pay for the capacity you need.
- Capacity scales up or down without anyone laying new cable.
Examples of when a SIP trunk is used
- Companies with their own system: you keep the system but swap fixed lines for a SIP trunk.
- Seasonal operations: you scale channels up before peaks and down again afterwards.
- Several offices: all sites share the same trunk regardless of location.
- A gradual cloud journey: you modernise the line now and move to a cloud system later.
Why businesses choose a SIP trunk
- Lower cost than traditional fixed lines.
- Flexible capacity that follows the business.
- Works wherever your team sits.
SIP trunk and cloud switchboard with lynes
A SIP trunk is the line itself. To jump straight to a complete solution, a cloud based switchboard gives the same flexibility plus everything else you need, gathered in one app. At lynes, telephony and AI are built in house in the same platform, so you avoid stitching several systems together.
- Go straight to the cloud with a business switchboard instead of just swapping the line.
- Read more about IP telephony for business and how calls travel over the internet.
FAQ
Do I need my own phone system to use a SIP trunk?
Yes, a SIP trunk connects an existing system to the network. If you have a cloud system the equivalent is already included.
How many calls can one trunk handle?
It depends on how many simultaneous channels you order. Capacity is adjustable.
Is the audio quality worse than fixed telephony?
No, with enough bandwidth the quality is at least as good.
What is the difference from a cloud switchboard?
A SIP trunk is the line itself, a cloud switchboard is the whole phone system.
Want to modernise telephony without the hassle? Book a lynes demo.
