External calls utilize antiquated technology for connections to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) via Verizon, however. This results in more expense for each outbound call and service recovery from outages is more problematic.

But UB has big plans. CIT is replacing its method of connecting to the PSTN by using IP-based services for these connections with a technology called SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) Trunking. Because of the way SIP Trunking is regulated by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the cost structure for making calls to the PSTN is much simpler and less expensive. In the event of a major outage, SIP Trunking will also provide much faster recovery time: connections can be re-routed from multiple points rather than a single hub.

CIT team members Dennis Powell, Tom Maniccia, and Tom Jauch have been working on the project since 2010. This past summer, CIT conducted a limited trial with campus Internet provider Level 3. The goal is to incrementally migrate to the new service, but SIP Trunk technology should be fully in place at UB as early as 2013.

Powell added, “We are currently preparing a Request for Proposals package for service providers to bid on to supply SIP Trunking to the university. The best outcome we can hope for in moving to SIP Trunking is that no one but the UB staff paying the telephone bill will notice the difference.”