SIP trunking is how AI voice systems connect to the actual phone network. It replaces traditional phone lines with internet-based connections, letting your AI call center handle calls over the web instead of through physical hardware. Without it, your AI can't talk to customers.
How Calls Actually Reach Your AI
Ever wonder what happens between someone dialling your number and your AI answering? Here's the chain:
- Caller dials (mobile or landline)
- Call routes through carrier (Telstra, Optus, etc.)
- Carrier connects to SIP provider (internet handoff)
- SIP provider routes to AI platform (over internet)
- AI answers and handles the call
That "SIP trunk" is the bridge. It's where traditional telephony meets internet-based AI. Break this link, and nothing works.
Why SIP Matters for AI Call Centers
Scalability Without Hardware
Traditional phone lines are physical. Want more capacity? Install more hardware. Wait for technicians. Pay setup fees.
SIP trunks are virtual. Adding capacity is software configuration. Your AI call center can handle 1 call or 1,000 with the same infrastructure.
Lower Costs at Scale
Traditional setup:
- Per-line monthly charges
- Per-minute call charges
- Physical infrastructure costs
SIP setup:
- Lower per-minute rates
- No physical infrastructure
- Pay for what you use
For AI call center solutions handling volume, the savings add up fast. Why Is AI Voice So Hard?
Route Calls Anywhere
Traditional phone lines are fixed to physical locations. SIP routes anywhere with internet.
Your AI can distribute calls across multiple servers, multiple regions. Load balancing, failover, geographic optimisation. All possible because SIP doesn't care where the server sits.
Better Audio = Smarter AI
Traditional circuits have limited audio quality. SIP supports high-definition audio codecs.
Why does this matter? Better audio means better transcription. Better transcription means better AI responses. Your AI call center is only as good as what it can hear. What Is Latency in AI Voice Calls?
The Key Components
SIP Provider
The company providing your phone number and connectivity.
- Examples: Twilio, Symbio, Vocus, Telstra
- Handles inbound and outbound calling