SIP Vs Skype

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Author: Phil Lam

An effective communication between two parties is important in the business world. Mails take a while for to get the message sent across, and more people would rather use direct forms of communicating like phone or instant messaging.

It is not effective to use instant messaging to communicate for business deals. For one, you will only be reading words - you will not be able to tell their emotions. How would you know whether you have your client interested? That's why it's much better to have a voice - from the sounds he makes, to the pitch he uses - one would be able to generally tell if the deal is done or not.

The only obvious choice of communicating a business deal would be phone, if a meeting is unable to be scheduled. That communication itself cannot be flawless, but to find the best means of communicating is important.

To find a good phone client - Skype. It is cheap, and with a good interface. There are also instructions plastered all over the application in case you do not know how to use it. It is good for voice and video calls, and it is a popular application for business communication. However, transferring voice signals through Skype can cause some data lost as it is sent by packets. You will only get free calls if both users are using PC. If not, one person's PC is able to call another person's handphone.

SIP however, is designed to be implemented. Unlike Skype which is already a ready made application, SIP is implemented to create VoIP systems and client applications. By designing your own SIP telephony system, you can choose which type of applications and features you would like your phone system to have.

Using more developed applications to Skype is very common, especially in the business world. To establish a good connection is the first step. After that, you have to hear the call and voice quality of the phone call. Most calls have an echo in the background, which can hinder discussion. There is also call delay. You would not like to speak halfway to realize the person will only hear it five seconds later. And call breaking. You can be speaking and then after talking a lot, you might find that the other party did not even hear what you said!

These signs are very dangerous. It would mean you do not have a good phone system and it could be an obstacle if you do your business by phone calls. However, it is not a problem to use a local line if you want to call a local number. What happens if you want to do business over the globe? Overseas calls are not cheap, and to have an hour or more discussion would cost quite a bit. It's more effective to get a call solution that allows you $0.01 per minute.

In short, it is more advisable to choose a telephone solution that is cheap for a long term basis. Also, it is more important to take a solution that allows you to have a good call quality where the other party is clear, and it is no different from using a normal phone. Most importantly, you can make more business by paying less.