SIP - enabling a new wave of communications
19 May 2004
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Wolfgang Held, network consultant at 3Com SA
SIP (session initiation protocol) is widely seen as the driver for user mobility and collaboration - improving the way employees manage their daily activities, while providing increased flexibility.
An optimistic statement, but can SIP realistically fulfil these expectations? Let us take a closer look at the protocol's proverbial claim to fame.
Adopted by the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF), SIP is a modular IP Telephony voice protocol for enabling a single IT enterprise platform to offer support for as many as tens of thousands of individual users around the globe. Simply put, SIP defines how the devices of individual workers interact with one another.
With SIP, enterprise workers can use a SIP address much in the same way they currently use an e-mail address to maintain contact with business colleagues and customers. Essentially, users can establish a live connection with another party or parties by simply clicking on their SIP address.
SIP-driven communications infrastructures will be able to connect a worker over any device with the individual's SIP address including desktop phones, PCs, notebook and PDAs as well as smart phones, digital cameras and even Web cams.
A compelling advantage of SIP is that it is based on open standards, therefore, countering vendor lock-in. With SIP, users have even more choice over what equipment they will be able to use in the future.
Indeed, one of the key benefits of SIP is that companies can often incorporate the new technology - as it is open standards based - without having to replace their current infrastructure.
In saying this, SIP-enabled gateways are already available and enable traditional digital-handsets to benefit from enhanced SIP Telephony services such as hosted unified messaging and personal calling features like selective call forwarding.
SIP promises to move communications from the current device-centric approach to a user-centric world.
Amongst current SIP-enabled vendor options, is 3Com's VCX V700 IP Telephony solution - made available to South African companies later this year - and one of the first SIP-based products that enable companies to take advantage of the protocol's cost-reducing and flexible features.
By utilising SIP, the VCX addresses a wide range of business communications requirements, from a handful of users to hundreds of thousands of users across headquarters, regional offices and telecommuters.
Also, the VCX solution allows for the migration from legacy network to IP-based telephony. Additionally, 3Com's 3102 Business Phone is also SIP-compliant and can be combined with the VCX solution, thus protecting enterprises' investment in IP Telephony.
For more information contact Wolfgang Held, 3Com, 011 700 8600, [email protected]
Further reading:
Power amps for portable radio comms systems
iCorp Technologies
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
CML Micro expands its SµRF product portfolio with a pair of high efficiency single- and two-stage power amplifiers that offer outstanding performance for a wide range of dual-cell lithium battery-powered wireless devices.
Read more...
RF agile transceiver
Altron Arrow
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The AD9361 is a high performance, highly integrated RF Agile Transceiver designed for use in 3G and 4G base station applications.
Read more...
Choosing a GNSS receiver
RF Design
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Applications requiring sub-ten-meter positioning accuracy today can choose between single-band or dual-band technology. While this decision might seem as simple as flipping a coin, it is far from that.
Read more...
Tri-Teq’s latest range of filters
RFiber Solutions
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Tri-Teq recently presented its latest filter products, which included passive and co-site mitigation filters (lumped element and suspended substrate technologies) and tunable filters (bandpass and harmonic switched filters).
Read more...
Why GNSS positioning precision is enabling the next wave of IoT applications
iCorp Technologies
Editor's Choice Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
While high-performance GNSS implementations are achievable with few limitations, most real-world applications must balance power consumption, form factor and accuracy requirements.
Read more...
The evolution of 4D imaging radar
Altron Arrow
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
4D imaging radar is redefining automotive sensing with unmatched precision, scalability and resilience and, as global adoption accelerates, this technology is poised to become a cornerstone of autonomous mobility.
Read more...
Links Field Networks: The perfect fit for telematics in Africa
Links Field Networks
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
Operating at the intersection of global SIM innovation and local market intelligence, Links Field Networks has emerged as a premier provider of telematics-oriented connectivity across Africa and beyond.
Read more...
RF direct conversion receiver
iCorp Technologies
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The CMX994 series from CML Micro is a family of direct conversion receiver ICs with the ability to dynamically select power against performance modes.
Read more...
Bridging the future with RAKWireless WisNode devices
Otto Wireless Solutions
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The WisNode Bridge series by RAKWireless is designed to convert traditional wired industrial protocols like RS485 and Modbus into LoRa-compatible signals.
Read more...
Mission-critical RF transceiver
Vepac Electronics
Telecoms, Datacoms, Wireless, IoT
The Iris SQN9506 from Sequans Communications is a wide-band RF transceiver that operates from 220 MHz to 7,125 GHz.
Read more...