NORTH ANDOVER, MA – The SIP Forum today announced the launch of the SIPconnect Certification Testing Program, a unique certification testing program that includes a new certification test suite and test platform, as well as an associated “SIPconnect Certified” logo program that will serve as the official “seal of certification” for companies products and services that have successfully passed the certification test and officially achieved laboratory tested, independently verified conformance with the SIPconnect specification.
The current, ratified Version 1.1 of the SIPconnect Technical Recommendation, is a standards-based approach to direct IP peering between SIP-enabled IP-PBXs and VoIP service provider networks, and represents the consensus of a broad cross-section of the global telecom community.
SIPconnect was designed to provide an International framework for direct IP peering between SIP-enabled enterprises and service providers, and directly tie enterprise customers to VoIP service providers using an end-to-end IP connection. Its goal is to ensure the interoperability of network elements across the IP environment and provide a level playing field for vendors and service providers as they develop new equipment and SIP trunking services for deployment.SIPconnect eliminates the need for a VoIP gateway on the premise, improves voice quality and creates the right foundation for personalized applications and rich media services.
The result of three years of planning and development, the new SIPconnect Certification Testing Program will be hosted by the UNH-IOL, a well-known independent, third-party laboratory dedicated to broad-based testing and standards conformance services for networking industries. The program will be available to IP communications equipment vendors, including IP-PBX and SBC vendors, and service providers who are offering SIP trunking services.
“The key to the realization of the full promise of the SIP standard is the drive towards total interoperability within the industry,” said Marc Robins, president and managing director of the SIP Forum. “This new testing program will help demonstrate that SIPconnect is implementable, accelerate vendor and service provider interoperability, and clearly define what it means to be SIPconnect compliant.”
“Through this collaborative engagement, we are excited to further the mission of multivendor interoperability. The SIPconnect certification program will increase confidence for enterprises and service providers resulting in faster deployments for adopters,” says Timothy Carlin, Senior Manager Software and IP Networking.
The SIPconnect Certified logo will serve as the “seal of certification” for companies that have agreed to abide by the terms of an associated licensing agreement, and is permitted only on SIPconnect compliant equipment and services that has been rigorously tested and approved as compliant by the SIP Forum’s SIPconnect Certification Testing Committee. Purchasers relying on the certification mark will enjoy increased interoperability levels.