Short answer
Yes. FirstNet sets up SIP trunks for South African businesses: PBX checks, channel sizing, number porting and test calls before cutover.
In detail: Can FirstNet set up a SIP trunk for my business in South Africa?
FirstNet SIP Trunks connect any SIP-compliant PBX, on-premises or cloud-hosted, to the public telephone network over FirstNet's own ICASA-licensed (ECNS/ECS) network. Calls reach Telkom, Vodacom, MTN, Cell C and other operators through direct interconnects.
How the set-up works:
- PBX check: make, model, firmware, codecs (G.711 as the baseline), TLS and SRTP support, and firewall and NAT settings. Older PRI, BRI or analogue systems connect through a media gateway.
- Sizing: channels follow your peak concurrent calls, not headcount, with bandwidth planned at about 100 Kbps per call plus 20% headroom.
- Numbers: ported in from your current carrier with a signed Letter of Authority, or newly issued by FirstNet. A typical port takes 5 to 15 business days, depending on the losing carrier.
- Go-live: FirstNet follows five phases (prepare, plan, provision, pilot and production), with test calls and backup failover tests before the final cutover.
If you also take FirstNet connectivity, a backup SIP trunk with automatic failover is included at no extra charge. Calls are billed per second on Voice Bundles or Voice Rate Options, and support for trunks, plans and porting is South African-based and available 24x7.
To get started, share your PBX make and model, how many calls you make at the same time at peak, and the numbers you want to keep.