Costs elements for SIP
SIP systems have different costing structures, which depend on connectivity, Hardware provision, and software requirements.
| Cost Issue | SIP | Copper wire Circuit Telephony |
|---|---|---|
| Hardware & software | Basic SIP hardware can be bought or rented. Software can be a cost element. | Hardware usually already in place. Software not needed. |
| Phone Sets | Need to buy or rent IP sets or soft phones. Specific devices would generally be purchased and then integrated into the system. | Phone sets usually already in place, but are very limited in task. |
| Network upgrades | Required. | Not required. |
| Labour & Professional services | To install, and for consultancy. | Usually not needed as the phone system is in place. |
| Ongoing Support / Admin | Required. | Required. |
| Support and maintenance contracts | Required. | Required. |
| IT training | Required. | Not required. |
| User Training | Required. | If already installed, then only required for top-up use of phone sets. |
| Flexibility | Very flexible with a wide range of services. Adding new services becomes more cost effective once the SIP system is in place. | Very dedicated features, limited flexibility in comparison to SIP, but difficult to compare as the SIP system does much more. |
