Empirix launches SIP trunking test tool

Empirix, a networking testing and monitoring firm, announced it launched what it is claiming is the first tool for automated testing and verification of enterprise SIP trunking systems. The vendor claims SIP installations have, on average, 7.5 times the number of service calls as a traditional circuit-based telephony service, and said its Hammer SIP Trunk Tester can identify problems before a SIP installation is turned up, thereby saving enterprises and service providers time and expense.

"Empirix has once again proven its market leadership and innovation by developing a first-to-market test solution that is specifically designed to ensure superior service quality over SIP/IP infrastructure," Frost and Sullivan analyst Olga Yashkova said in a press release on the topic published by Empirix.

Gordon Eddy, director of product management for Empirix, said the company developed the tool based on feedback from carrier customers rolling out SIP trunking.

"Up until now, no automated tool was available for installation teams or engineers to test not just individual call quality, but also to measure the capacity that has been provisioned for the enterprise by the carrier," Eddy said. "The Hammer SIP Trunk Tester also lets carriers confirm that they are delivering high quality performance for SIP applications to their network edge, which helps with troubleshooting performance issues."

Empirix said the tool, which can run on a field engineer's laptop, would be "cost-effective," but did not give a specific price point. Eddy said Empirix has had interest in the product from very small service providers and multi-national carriers alike.

The SIP trunking market is expected to grow at a rapid pace for the next few years, so Empirix's product looks well-positioned to capitalize on the increased need for testing and performance verification.

For more:
- see the Empirix press release here 

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