Compare SIP Trunking and PRI for Phone Connectivity

Large companies need telephone connectivity that makes sense for their needs. This discussion can come down to SIP trunks vs PRI circuits. These two methods of connecting the internal phone system to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) each have their pros and cons. SIP trunking vs PRI circuitry is something each company needs to make an informed decision about. First, a basic explanation of what they each mean.

What is a PRI Circuit?

PRI stands for Primary Rate Interface. In these systems, the phone lines need physical connections in order to transmit only voice to the public network. Each connection requires a circuit switch to trigger. These are time-tested and depending on the carrier used and have few issues in normal operating circumstances.

What is SIP Trunking?

SIP Trunking stands for Session Initiation Protocol. Instead of phone lines connecting people, it operates over a virtual data connection usually on your existing or an upgraded data network. This means that all the information being transmitted – voice and data – is packed together into data blocks and sent over the Internet.

SIP Trunks vs PRI Circuits

When researching SIP trunk vs PRI information, business owners may decide on SIP trunking because it is newer and often more cost-effective. It takes a close examination of the information to find the best answers for, “What is PRI?” and “What is SIP Trunking?”

The criteria in the decision of SIP trunks vs PRI includes reliability of connections, overall speed, quality of transmissions, line and call availability, scalability and cost. Companies and organizations making this decision may have difficulty picking a clear winner. In some cases customers may choose to go with a PRI as their primary source for telecommunications service and have back-up SIP trunks for additional capacity and as a failover service for if and when their PRI has outages.

Outages, call dropping, and data loss may be more common with SIP trunks vs PRI on some carriers. This can also depend on your Internet service provider. Without Internet, SIP trunks are unable to operate. However, rerouting calls in the event of a service outage is much easier with SIP Trunking. Rerouting can be difficult and time consuming with PRI Circuits.

Ongoing monthly costs, either flat per month or per packet sent, are considerably lower for SIP trunking. The modernity of the Internet-based wireless communication systems can appeal to startups, modern companies and more as well. While emotions do not usually weigh in communications options, using the Internet for everything is becoming quite common.
What is PRI:

Time-tested
Physically connected
Limited speed
High-quality transmissions
Limited to 23 calls at the same time per PRI

What is SIP Trunking:

High-tech
Virtual connections for more data mobility
Speed determined by Internet network
Issues with voice transfer quality at times
Ultimate scalability – the number of calls at the same time are limited only by bandwidth.

After learning about PRI and SIP trunking businesses can make an informed choice about the best telecommunications setups for PSTN connectivity. In the decision between SIP trunks vs PRI, it usually makes sense to go with the latest technology. However, each tech crew for the individual building, organization, or business needs to work within their own acceptable boundaries.

The SIP trunk vs PRI decision will continue to complicate corporate decisions for new businesses and facilities. Many buildings already have hardware and wires in place to handle PRI connectivity to the PSTN, but many more suffer from damaged or outdated equipment. The newest phone plugged into the oldest wires will not provide fast efficient communication. Going forward, the move to SIP trunking will accelerate as the benefits of Internet-based telecommunications improve.