BOSTON--The SIP Forum completed work by one of its technical working groups this week on SIPconnect, an industry recommendation on facilitating connectivity between the enterprise SIP-based networks and service providers’ voice-over-IP networks.

SIPconnect, close to its final draft stage, identifies the functionality required for SIP connectivity and addresses architecture specifications and SIP methods such as profiles and implementation instructions. It also addresses security, multimedia management, fax and modem transmission, echo cancellation, DTMF tones, quality of service and NAT traversal. It is based on IETF building blocks.

Cbeyond, a driver of the document, along with Avaya, Cisco and others have embraced the technology.

Other contributors to the effort include Acme Packet, BroadSoft, Inter-Tel, Mitel Networks, NeuStar, Nortel Networks, Radvision, Siemens AG, Sip Edge LLC, pulver.com, Talkswitch, Telio and Xit Telecom.

“The benefits of SIPconnect flow to the business end user, but we have to convince network equipment vendors to build to this,” said Jay Batson, managing director and chairman of the SIP Forum. “It also improves security and [quality of service] for the service provider.”

The SIP Forum anticipates a service provider bringing an implementation to the next SIPit interoperability event in October and that a successful demonstration will propel SIPconnect to final status within the forum