Using SIP, services can be developed based on:
- telephony,
- web applications,
- email,
- messaging,
- the Internet,
- video streaming.
Both commercial and open source Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) mean that ISPs, ASPs and even end-users can program their own services, using SIP
The SIP protocol does all this by creating, editing and closing "sessions" across IP networks. These sessions could be anything from a simple telephone call to a highly complicated mixed media session between several users.
The new buzz words will be convergence of telecoms and computers, and APIs for programming SIP services. Of course, this rich telemedia future is dependant on the increase of stable high bandwidth networks which provide the platform to replace PSTN telecoms along with the requirement for the necessary hardware to enable the required applications.
