XO simplifies SIP trunking choices for businesses with session-free pricing

XO Communications is giving its business customers an easier way to migrate their existing TDM-based trunking systems to SIP with a simplified pricing structure.

The CLEC has eliminated session charges for Enterprise SIP, a centralized SIP trunking service specifically designed for multisite businesses.

"We wanted to be very disruptive to the competitors that look like us and take on the smaller guys and others that weren't doing what they should have been doing and get to a level playing field," said Steve Carter, director of product management for XO, in an interview with FierceTelecom. "We said, let's get rid of this element of pricing call sessions." 

Having offered SIP trunking and the ability to let businesses originate traffic since 2007, Carter said that the way providers compete for business has continued to evolve.  

"What sort of developed was this interesting way in which Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and XO competed against one another," Carter said. "XO and Verizon would compete on their ability to handle different call types such as local calls, E-911 calls, work with anyone's MPLS service provider, and a number of failover options."

Carter added that what happened is that while other competitors would let businesses terminate local calls "they would be rated as a long-distance call and they could not handle 911 traffic so they would have to put in PRI at those sites to handle traffic."

Other features included in XO's Enterprise SIP product include free local service without additional business lines or PRIs, E911, and up to 1000 DIDs (direct inward dialing numbers).

One of the clear benefits of using a SIP trunking approach is reduced cost. A business can get rid of multiple phone systems and local voice trunks and eliminate the cost of long distance calling between networked sites.

By leveraging enterprise SIP, a business can use a centralized IP-PBX at their headquarters and a couple of key locations while delivering VoIP services to smaller branch locations using an existing private network or an MPLS IP-VPN service.

For more:
- see the release

Special report: Level 3, tw telecom, other CLECs step up to Ethernet plate

Related articles:
XO introduces enterprise-class cloud computing, data backup and storage services
XO puts cloud effort under relaunched Concentric brand
XO eyes asymmetrical EoC opportunities
XO gives 1-800-Registry a path to cloud services