SIP-GSM-gateway is equipment that acts as a link between IP and GSM networks. That is, such a device connects cloud telephony and cellular.
The gateway looks like a device with slots for SIM cards – the more there are, the more expensive it is. It may also have one or more antennas and a cable connector.
Such devices are connected for the sole purpose of saving on communications without paying a little to the operator. Although you can easily and officially buy a mobile number from the latter, which will already be in the SIP format. You can also convert a number to a mobile format using Ringostat – this is described in detail in the article .
By connecting a SIP-GSM-gateway, a person expects to pay less. But in fact, it faces many additional points, which we will consider below.
Communication quality and stability
SIP-GSM-gateway is another link in the process of passing a call. And the more such links, the higher the chance that one of them will fail. Yes, and it affects the quality of communication. We specifically made calls directly to the SIP number and through the gateway – according to our observations, in the second case, the quality deteriorates by about a third.
The founder of Ringostat made this analogy a Guatemala Email List few years ago, but nothing has changed since then:
The devices themselves are also not reliable. As a rule, these are Chinese “handicrafts” of dubious quality. World-famous brands simply do not produce such equipment – after all, it is semi-legal, and it is distributed mainly in the CIS. At the same time, their prices are not at all Chinese in the generally accepted sense. This is also worth remembering if you dream of saving.
If such a device breaks down or does not work correctly
There is no one to complain to. You will have to google or look for people who had similar problems, and they somehow solved them. Also keep in mind that gateways are often hacked, for example, to spam people with mailing lists. Therefore, it will be necessary not only to maintain the device’s performance, but also to repel attacks.
There is another point that affects the quality of communication – gateways overload operator towers. If, say, you work in an office building with dozens of such devices, the nearest tower will malfunction. And at the most inopportune time, when a business usually receives a lot of calls. Yes, and the office Internet is “takes out” with difficulty. And the more traffic, the higher the load will be – and with it the quality of communication will also fall.