SIP Forum Creates SIPconnect Compliant Program to Address Standards
SIP Forum announced at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo the introduction of the SIPconnect Compliant program, a unique certification mark created to ensure interoperability among equipment manufacturers, software providers and service providers, as well as to promote further adoption of Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) as the standard for VoIP communications.
The SIPconnect Compliant logo serves as the seal of compatibility for companies that have agreed to abide by the terms of the licensing agreement, and is permitted only on compliant equipment that has been rigorously reviewed and tested. Purchasers relying on the certification mark should benefit from increased interoperability levels. Several industry leaders and SIP Forum members have recently been awarded the SIPconnect Compliant mark, including Acme Packet, BroadSoft, Cbeyond, Digium, Ingate Systems and McLeodUSA.
SIP is the protocol of choice for IP communications going forward, and the pace at which companies are introducing SIP-based products and services is accelerating, said Joe McGarvey, senior analyst with Heavy Reading. SIPconnect provides a common framework to ensure products and services that claim to be based on SIP actually are — a key safety check for an industry that is experiencing tremendous growth.
SIPconnect, an initiative of the SIP Forum, streamlines how service providers and their enterprise customers leverage interactive IP communications services and solutions. A standards-based approach to direct IP peering between SIP-enabled IP PBXs and VoIP service providers, SIPconnect was designed to directly tie enterprise customers to VoIP service providers using an end-to-end IP connection. SIPconnect eliminates the need for VoIP gateway on the premise, improves voice quality and creates the right foundation for personalized applications and rich media services.
The key to full adoption of the SIP standard is the drive towards total interoperability within the industry, said Jay Batson, managing director and chairman of the SIP Forum. Having so many telecommunications innovators embrace this certification mark furthers our belief in the importance of standardizing requirements necessary to elevate VoIP to traditional phone line levels in terms of reliability and predictability.
SIP Forum www.sipforum.org
