With SIP, communications become user-centric once again.
A SIP address of record (AOR) provides one unifying identifier
that can be mapped across multiple devices and media types.
You can think of an AOR as the user’s “public address.” Part 2
explains more about AORs.
Simply put, SIP-based communications are between people,
connected together without needing to know which device
they happen to be using. No more tracking of multiple phone
numbers, e-mail addresses, and IM contact names.
SIP is particularly suited to facilitating communications
with mobile devices such as laptop computers, cell phones,
and PDAs. Part 3 describes how SIP enables mobile
communications.
Nevertheless, SIP still supports the legacy public switched
telephone network (PSTN) with its numeric dialing because
it’s going to be around for quite a long time. An effort to map
PSTN telephone numbers with SIP’s newer user-centric iden-
tifiers is discussed in Part 4.
SIP Communications For Dummies, Avaya Custom Edition
8
SIP Communications For Dummies, Avaya Custom Edition
Do we need fold-out business cards?
You probably don’t consider yourself a
communications geek, but like most
modern business people, you proba-
bly have many ways to communicate
with others. For example, a typical
salesperson may have:
ߜ Three phone numbers (home,
work, cell)
ߜ Text messaging and e-mail on
a PDA
ߜ IM identities on Yahoo!, Google,
MSN, and AOL
ߜ IM capabilities on a laptop and on
a cell phone
ߜ Four e-mail addresses
All of these identities operate in
silos — none is aware of any other.
The salesperson’s communications
capabilities have not become easier,
but more difficult, because of the lack
of integration between all of these
media types. SIP promises to bring all
of these capabilities (and more) back
together.
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