Unlocking Business Flexibility: The Rise of Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) Solutions

Today, it’s crucial that your voice communication is high-quality and consistent. To ensure users always have a great experience, many companies–different sizes and in various industries–have switched from on-premise software to cloud-based SaaS products. With the ever-changing technology landscape, companies have become accustomed to increased flexibility in their communications solutions.

The “Bring Your Own” concept allows organizations to bring their carrier of choice into the communications stack. “Bring Your Own Carrier” is a term that has been picking up steam. In short, it permits organizations more power to choose the telephony provider that they would want for their environment: video conferencing, contact centers, and other features.

Statistics like these fuel the BYOC trend: 19.1% of companies are using Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). According to a recent Synergy research report, the UCaaS market growth rate is estimated at 29%. By 2023, it is projected that 70% of businesses will be using UCaaS. Many CPaaS, CCaaS, and UCaaS platforms are now adapting their software to BYOC to keep up with demand. Let’s explore what it is, how it works, its benefits, how it compares with SIP trunking, and what this all means for your business.

What is BYOC?

The “Bring Your Own Carrier” (BYOC) concept is simple–it allows businesses to mix and match the best-of-breed solutions that fit their needs by using the network carrier of their choice. This could be done for any communications, but it is most common with VoIP systems. BYOC programs allow businesses to choose the carrier that best fits their needs and plug them into their contact center platforms or unified communications.

With BYOC, an organization can use the network service provider (NSP) of their choice and still receive the benefits of a cloud-based solution, such as flexibility, scalability, and pay-as-you-go options. Since technological advances have made it easier and more affordable to do so, companies can now bring their own carrier or SIP trunking provider as part of their telecommunications infrastructure. This provides them with a complete communications solution.

How BYOC Works

To set up a BYOC system, you’ll need to find a VoIP provider that supports this type of bring-your-own-carrier program. Once you’ve found one, they will provide you with the necessary equipment and software. After that, it’s simply a matter of working with your chosen carrier to get everything set up for both ends.

BYOC is the perfect solution for companies that want to take advantage of cloud telephony by keeping their current public switched telephone network (PSTN) service. Existing circuits are redirected to your cloud-based platform when the process begins, i.e., when your call center receives a call. Calls are then routed to agents through automatic call distribution (ACD) systems, auto-dialers, or interactive voice response solutions (IVRs).

SIP trunking providers use a session initiation protocol (SIP), or public switched telephone network (PSTN) to transport calls. With BYOC, companies that use cloud private branch exchange (PBX), unified-communications-as-a-service (UCaaS), and / or contact-center-as-a-service (CCaaS) solutions can select a SIP trunking provider of their choice. With BYOC, customers who use software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions have more control over routing, coverage, capacity, and inbound and outbound call costs; they need not depend on packaged SIP solutions.

Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) and SIP Trunking

SIP trunking is a phone system function that uses an internet connection instead of copper phone lines to make business calls. SIP Trunks in VoIP systems can have multiple SIP Lines (as many as 100’s at a time), allowing multiple calls to co-occur on different devices and in various locations and departments. In many cases, you can incorporate SIP trunks into your pre-existing PBX system without having to procure extra equipment or hardware.

BYOC is a term for functionality that doesn’t rely on any one particular carrier. You can mix and match carriers to create a hybrid system tailored to your needs. For example, you could use one carrier for long-distance calls, another for local calls, and a third for international calls. This flexibility allows you to find the best rates and quality for each call type. If you plan to use BYOC, check that your VoIP communications provider is compatible with your carrier partner. This means confirming that they can send and receive SIP traffic from each other.

Benefits of BYOC

A mismatch between your needs and your current carrier can become a real problem. Opting for a SIP provider or carrier that works perfectly with your phone system is an excellent way to guarantee great service without interruption.

Some of the most outstanding benefits of BYOC include:

1. You’re in complete control of your system: You can select the carrier that works better for your company. If you’re unhappy with the service, you can switch providers without affecting your VoIP system.
2. You’re not locked into a specific contract: Since you’re not signing a long-term contract with any carrier, you’re free to change providers at any time. This is perfect if you need to quickly scale your operations up or down.
3. You can keep your current phone number: When you port your phone number to VoIP, you can keep it as long as you want. This is a significant advantage if you have a well-established business with many customers who know your phone number.
4. Save money on calls: One of the main reasons why businesses switch to VoIP is to save money on calls. With BYOC, you can shop for the best rates and quality without being tied to a specific carrier.
5. Get more features: When you opt for BYOC, you’re not limited to the features offered by your carrier. You can add any VoIP features of your choice, such as call recording, IVR, call forwarding, and more.
6. Have peace of mind: If you’re unsatisfied with your current carrier, you can always switch to another one. This way, you can be sure that you’re getting the best possible service for your needs.

How to Implement BYOC

There are three main ways to implement BYOC:

• On-premises
• Hosted
• Cloud-based

On-premises BYOC is perfect for businesses that want to keep their data and systems in-house. With this option, you’ll need to purchase and manage your own VoIP hardware, software and phones. This can be a great solution if you have the IT resources and expertise to maintain your systems.

Hosted BYOC is a good option for businesses that want someone else to take care of their VoIP system. With this solution, you’ll lease VoIP hardware and software from a provider. The provider will also manage your system and handle any updates or maintenance. This can be a great solution if you don’t have the in-house expertise to maintain your systems.

Cloud-based BYOC is the most popular option for businesses. With this solution, you’ll use a VoIP service hosted in the cloud. You don’t have to worry about managing any hardware or software. The VoIP provider will take care of everything for you. This can be a great solution if you want a hassle-free VoIP experience – the trend.

Conclusion

Because businesses are increasingly tailored and unique, the need for Bring Your Own Carrier technology will continue to expand. For those of whom utilize it, the system guarantees the use of telephony features in any way or capacity that they might require. BYOC is an excellent solution for businesses that want to save money on calls and have more control over their VoIP system. If you’re looking for a flexible, cost-effective, and reliable solution for your business, BYOC is definitely worth considering.