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The Times they are a-Changing. And so is the Contact Centre.
In the early days of VoIP (circa 2000), the long distance carriers would grow misty-eyed about the possibilities of using an IP pipe to transport data and voice packets around the local exchange carrier. After some fits and starts, SIP trunking has achieved a critical mass of solid vendor support, strong customer interest, and attractive service provider options. Sure, it brings end-to-end SIP communications to businesses. But SIP trunking is also a great way to lower telecom bills.
In the beginning of VoIP, one of the key selling points of IP-based trunking was cost reduction. You'd eliminate per minute toll charges for both local calls and on-network calls to other offices. (Not to mention that voice could share the connection with data and ride for free.)
The strategy was a good one: replace variable costs with fixed monthly fees. You'd pay a flat fee to gain access to the provider’s network. Then depending on your requirements, you could purchase additional bandwidth chunks, direct-inward dial capabilities, or perhaps, unlimited "on-net' calls to other locations.
The good news is that with SIP trunking now supported by the major service providers, getting access to a SIP network is not the issue it once was.
But the savings story is not quite over.
A second wave of cost savings is here. The idea is that you centralize those trunks involved in long distance calling—the biggest remaining variable part—to a few branch locations, remote facilities or offices.
By bringing your company’s total long distance call volumes to a single service provider, you have more leverage to bargain down the LD rates for even more savings.
So how do you centralize all your trunks and support a single dial plan to get access to long distance calling from any office?
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