| If your small business or large enterprise has | | | | cost of the DID, CNAM and 911 components, your cost |
| implemented VoIP by installing a SIP IP PBX such as | | | | for outbound termination will probably be $.02 per |
| Asterisk, 3CX or SIPX, there's a good chance that you | | | | minute, which is high. |
| have already realized cost savings when compared to | | | | 3. Understand what you need. Most IP PBX |
| a traditional PBX. But, to get the maximum return from | | | | administrators can realize cost savings by purchasing |
| your investment, it's not enough just to use an IP-PBX. | | | | VoIP services individually. This is because the |
| You must also purchase your VoIP services wisely. | | | | combined usage of all PBX users is less than the |
| This is true because most VoIP service providers | | | | combined plan allowance for the total number of SIP |
| bundle many service components into their monthly | | | | trunks being purchased. For example, consider the |
| charge in a way that maximizes their profit. Very | | | | situation where you are paying a SIP trunk provider |
| often, significant savings can be realized by buying | | | | $19.99 per line, and you have 5 workers. Your monthly |
| unbundled service. That means purchasing only the | | | | bill will be $99.95 before any applicable taxes of other |
| services that you need. To determine if your IP PBX | | | | charges. However, it's likely that not every user of the |
| situation fits into this category, follow these four simple | | | | system uses or needs each of the four |
| steps: | | | | sub-components in the same amount. It is likely that all |
| 1. Know the terminology. Most VoIP providers will sell | | | | users could share a single line with CNAM and |
| you a VoIP line - which they commonly refer to as a | | | | emergency 911 service, allowing you to reduce the |
| SIP trunk. Although the definition of a SIP trunk varies | | | | cost of SIP trunks by 80%. Then inbound and |
| from provider to provider, the underlying service can | | | | outbound calling services could be purchased |
| be broken down into four separate categories or | | | | individually at better rates. |
| sub-components: a local number with the capability to | | | | 4. Find wholesale VoIP providers that sell unbundled |
| receive inbound calls (this is usually called a DID), | | | | service. A simple Google search will let you find VoIP |
| outbound call termination (also called long distance or | | | | providers that sell the sub-components a la carte. By |
| toll calling), caller name display for inbound calls (also | | | | purchasing only the amounts that you need of each |
| called CNAM) and emergency 911 service. In the VoIP | | | | category, you can save money on your total monthly |
| world, these are all separate services and can be | | | | expenditure. For example, you can purchase DIDs |
| purchased separately. | | | | from online providers such as DIDx. Similarly, outbound |
| 2. Know what you are paying for. It is common for a | | | | call termination and CNAM can be purchased from |
| VoIP service provider to sell a SIP trunk as the | | | | wholesale VoIP providers such as EZ Call. You can |
| equivalent of one traditional POTS (plain old telephone | | | | also by toll-free origination and international termination |
| service) line. That means that all of the components of | | | | separately. By learning what makes these wholesale |
| the SIP trunk are included in a single monthly charge, | | | | VoIP providers different from bundled SIP trunk |
| and are not broken out as line items. If your provider | | | | providers, you can reduce your total monthly spend on |
| follows this model, get to know exactly what charges | | | | telephone service. |
| are included in your monthly bill. When you subtract the | | | | |