VoIP technology has implied a real change in companies’ communication systems. Thanks to the use of Internet networks, VoIP converts voice into data packets, providing a more effective telephony, with more quality and infinite functionalities. However, a number of variants have been developed. It is normal to find strange acronyms when we are looking for VoIP providers, such as WebRTC technology or SIP technology. What do they mean? Today we will discover the advantages of WebRTC technology over SIP.
The truth is that there are quite a few similarities between the two, as they are both used to offer collaboration and communication in a simple and easy way thanks to the Internet connection. However, they also have many differences. In fact, many people think that WebRTC is simply a refinement of SIP, but it is not. These are different technologies.
Today, some of the most frequent questions that users have when choosing a VoIP telephony system have to do with these two terms. That is why today we explain what they are and what they consist of. In this way you will be able to evaluate which is the most convenient for your company and avoid making a bad choice that you may regret later.
What is SIP?
SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) is a signaling protocol that serves to communicate the user with a server, facilitating communication with other SIP users. It has increased strongly in popularity during the last decades, so that today it is considered one of the greatest advances in communications. It has improved the telephony we knew as it is capable of adding numerous functionalities, and it is the technology that has been commonly used by VoIP telephony providers.
SIP technology works through the Internet, and to use it, it is necessary that the user utilizes a “SIP client” and that the server also understands SIP, which could be considered a disadvantage. However, it has several advantages, of which we would like to highlight:
- Lower cost than traditional telephony: since it works through the Internet, it is much cheaper.
- Variety, as there are many SIP telephony providers, providing a wide range of possibilities when choosing one of them. However, in general they tend to be more expensive than those offering WebRTC technology.
- Experience in the market, as SIP technology has been available in the market for years. This is why it has undergone several tests and interesting developments.
- Good quality of communication, provided that the Internet connection is also good.
However, the main problem related to SIP technology is that it requires the acquisition of specialized equipment and software, which is a large investment in the short term. In addition, another disadvantage to highlight is that we can only make SIP calls from an IP phone or a special softphone, which makes it a technology with very little flexibility.
In conclusion, SIP works in a correct way if the only thing we are looking for is to make phone calls, but WebRTC goes further. Let’s discover the advantages of WebRTC technology over SIP.
What is WebRTC and what does it offer me in comparison with SIP?
WebRTC is an open source protocol developed by Google to provide the web with VoIP communication capabilities, such as access to the microphone or webcam, while also providing a system that allows the sending of various types of data (text, images, etc.), offering the user a communications interface without need of external software, plugins or softphones.
We can think of WebRTC as an evolution of SIP, although not as a simple refinement, as we said at the beginning, since it multiplies by a thousand the possibilities. With WebRTC not only do the same technologies come into play, but it is also incorporated into web browsers, eliminating the intermediate step of softphones. This is the greatest advantage of this type of technology. You can use it on your mobile or tablet simply by downloading an application, or on your computer.
In addition, it has many other advantages, such as:
- Exquisite quality, since it includes HD voice quality even if the Internet connection is not completely optimal, being able to modulate your voice according to coverage.
- Maximum flexibility, since it can be used wherever and whenever you want: from your computer, mobile phone or tablet.
- Access to an online interface, with which you can create your own agenda or consult your call statistics.
- Zero investment, because, as we mentioned before, it works on any device and it does not require any special software.
In conclusion, SIP technology has supposed a great evolution in terms of communications, and it is true that it is still a cheap and good quality solution. However, it seems clear that WebRTC will end up being a substitute for the SIP protocol, since it presents the same functionalities added to many others, so that there are many advantages of WebRTC technology over SIP, which are capable of bringing a great value to our communication system.
