Organizations are already using Zoom for video meetings and content sharing so why not extend those capabilities with Zoom Phone? Ribbon Session Border Controllers (SBCs) are certified with Zoom Phone to make it easy and secure to connect Zoom to an organization's choice of communications Service Providers (AKA Bring Your Own Carrier or BYOC). Ribbon SBCs simplify interoperability, leveraging our real-world experience deploying tens of thousands of devices/instances across the globe. Choose from cloud-based deployments in AWS or Azure, virtualized software, or traditional hardware-based appliances. Organizations that require local survivability can leverage Ribbon SBCs as a local gateway to deliver Zoom Phone Local Survivability (ZPLS).

Ribbon provides the Zoom-certified Session Border Controller (SBC) required to connect Zoom Phone to the telecom provider. Ribbon’s SBCs act as a voice firewall that secures these connections and assures interoperability so organizations can select from hundreds of service providers across the globe.

Zoom offers a unified client for PC/Mac or smartphone so that users can make and receive calls from almost anywhere. Zoom Phone makes it easy to stay connected and productive from almost any device. Organizations can use Zoom Phone for all their business calls or migrate from a legacy PBX, depending on their needs.

zoom-certified

Download the Zoom Solution Brief

Getting Started with Zoom Phone

Getting started is as easy as 1, 2, 3:

  1. A Zoom Phone license
  2. A Communications Service Provider that can provide SIP trunks for Zoom Phone. Zoom refers to this connectivity as Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC). The SIP trunks are delivered directly to a Ribbon SBC on-premises or in a data center and then delivered to Zoom Phone.
  3. A Zoom-certified Session Border Controller to terminate the SIP Trunks - Ribbon’s SBC Software Edition (SBC SWe), SBC Software Edition Edge (SBC SWe Edge) SBC 1000, SBC 2000, SBC 5400, SBC 7000, and the EdgeMarc portfolio are all certified. The SBC acts as a secure voice firewall, mitigates interoperability issues, and manages media connectivity.
zoom-desktop-mobile-example

What is the SBC’s Role in Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC)?

Zoom requires a Zoom certified SBC to act as bridge between Zoom Phone and the phone network (the carrier). The session border controller provides multiple functions:

  • Security – it acts as a voice-aware firewall, protecting the voice traffic itself and prevents bad actors from entering the data network via the voice network
  • Interoperability – Ribbon’s SBCs can adjust key deployment parameters to best match your carrier requirements, making BYOC set-up easy and trouble-free
  • Legacy Connectivity – many organizations still have analog phones, elevator phones, door phones, and fax machines. Ribbon’s hardware–based SBCs have analog ports (FXS and FXO) to keep these assets connected and available.
  • Migration – organizations may have technical or business requirements that require the old PBX to stay connected for an extended period. Ribbon SBCs can provide SIP forking and simultaneous ringing so that both Zoom Phone and the legacy PBX share connectivity.
  • Resiliency or Failover – Ribbon SBCs have multiple options to manage disruptions in service, including support for Zoom Phone Local Survivability (ZPLS). These tools can keep your organization connected even if the unexpected happens.

Zoom Phone’s Bring Your Own Carrier (BYOC) Deployment Model with a Ribbon SBC

Zoom Deployment Diagram with a Ribbon SBC

Zoom Phone Local Survivability - ZPLS

Ribbon SBCs are certified to work in concert with Zoom Phone Local Survivability Software (ZPLS). Zoom’s ZPLS software is deployed on-site to provide basic calling services, if the Zoom cloud is unreachable. The software works in concert with a Ribbon SBC to provide local access to telecom services (PSTN) – via locally terminated SIP trunks or using traditional analog/digital PSTN lines. The ZPLS software is deployed on a virtual server and remotely managed by Zoom to make deployment easy. If the Zoom cloud is unavailable, ZPLS enables intra-site calling (including directory-based calling). Ribbon’s SBCs add PSTN access so users can place and receive calls to/from anywhere – keeping employees connected and customers happy. It’s an ideal solution to assure emergency services access at schools, healthcare facilities, or any other mission-critical organization. 

ZPLS software is supported by a diverse set of Ribbon SBCs, including hardware-based models that provide local gateways for traditional analog or digital trunks. This deployment model assures local PSTN access, even if Internet services are disrupted. Review the chart below for SBC models and learn more from our blog post. In-depth testing information is available from our Interoperability Guides webpage.

 

SBC Edge Software/Devices SBC Core Software/Devices
SBC SWe Edge SBC SWe
SBC 2000 SBC 7000
SBC 1000 SBC 5400

 

Get in the Cloud

Easily deploy Ribbon SBC software in Azure or AWS

Ribbon’s Session Border Controller, Software Edition Edge (SBC SWe Edge) instantly deploys in the AWS or Azure Cloud. An organization can deploy a Ribbon cloud-based SBC in seconds to connect Zoom Phone to an organization’s BYOC provider for telecom services. There is no hardware to deploy or manage and the solution can scale up or down as needed. Ribbon even offers a 30-day trial license so you can try it before you buy it.

Azure aws

Download the Zoom Solution Brief

From Headquarter to Branch Offices

Service Type SBC SWe Edge Software on Public Cloud Software Image
SBC SWe Edge
Ribbon Applicance
SBC 1000
Ribbon Applicance
SBC 2000
Zoom Certified
Award Winning Security
Tones & Annoucements Support
Comfort Noise & Silence Suppression
Network Jitter Compensation
Music on Hold
Transcoding
Purchase Model Monthly as a Service
or One-time Purchase
One-time Purchase One-time Purchase One-time Purchase
Maximum Users 5000 5000 600 1000
Maximum Concurrent Calls 1000 1000 192 600
T1/E1/ or BRI Ports (Connects legacy PBXs) Local gateway required Local gateway required Up to 2 T1/E1
or 12 BRI ports
Up to 16 T1/E1 – 2 x 8 T1/E1 spans
FXS Ports (analog phones, fax, etc.) Local gateway required Local gateway required Up to 24 FXS ports Up to 48 FXS ports
– 2 x 24 ports
FXO Ports (analog lines for emergency calling, etc.) Local gateway required Local gateway required Up to 12 FXS ports Local gateway required
  More on SBC SWe Edge
Public Cloud
More on SBC SWe Edge More on SBC 1000 More on SBC 2000

Superior Scale and Performance in the Cloud

Save money by using fewer cloud compute resources

Ribbon has decades of experience building session border controllers for the world’s largest carriers.  That’s why Ribbon understands the importance of reliability and efficiency.  Your organization may not need to support thousands of concurrent calls but that doesn’t mean efficiency isn’t impactful. Ribbon SBCs can run on some of the smallest virtual instances, delivering more capacity for less money.  That saves money today and as an organization grows. 

Our hardware and software are designed to be operational 24/7, even during upgrades. Ribbon SBCs have undergone rigorous 3rd party testing to prove they can withstand withering attacks and continue to protect the network.