SIP phones are phones that use the Open Standard Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to manage and configure calls using other open standards called Real Time Transport Protocol (RTP). All of these protocols are generically called Voice over IP and hence the phones are also commonly known most of the time as VoIP clients or VoIP Phones. There are two main categories of SIP phones, namely soft phones or SoftPhones and hardware phones or HardPhones.
Hardware phones or HardPhones
A HardPhone is something that looks like normal phones and also acts like one. However, in this SIP phone, the hardware is manufactured using IP compliant parts. It will connect to IP networks via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. You will also get cordless phones at HardPhones. Cordless phones use DECT technology whereby the phones connect to a base station using the DECT protocol. The base station connects to an IP PBX using RTP and SIP transport protocols.
Soft Phones or SoftPhones
The function and nature of the SoftPhone is evident from its name. It is a software program that provides the functionality of a telephone. Like a HardPhone, a SoftPhone uses RTP and SIP for voice delivery and call setup. Any device such as desktops, tablets, and smartphones can be used to run SoftPhone programs as long as it has speakers and a microphone. The main requirement is the IP connection to the SIP server or VoIP provider through IP PBX.
The benefits of switching to SIP phones
SIP phones are considered the viable alternative to PBXs and allow businesses to scale quickly without increasing cost. The following is a list of some other benefits of SIP.
 It is cheaper in configuration and activation than PBX. You get a multichannel phone number that won’t stay busy with the right sales reps. The number of call agents can also be increased in the corporate network without any increase in costs.
 The payment of telephone calls independently is according to the basic rate of the subscriber’s location. SIP phones are even cheaper than installing phone lines. This makes it very convenient for medium and large companies that have many departments and branches in different locations.
 SIP helps in the integration of data in calls together with analysis systems and CRM to make a highly efficient company. For example, SIP technology offers the opportunity to track calls. This helps you discover which advertising avenues are attracting new customers. Therefore, make better decisions for sales growth.
SIP can be a great option for any company or startup looking to optimize workflow. Helps build omnichannel analytics platforms to improve the level of customer service.