Wholesale VoIP termination rates and SIP trunk pricing, explained.
We publish rate decks, not price lists - because a wholesale price only means something against your destination mix, quality tier and billing increments. Here is exactly how our pricing is built.
How wholesale pricing is structured
Destination mix
Your blended cost per minute is driven almost entirely by where traffic terminates. Mobile destinations in regulated markets carry fixed termination rates; fixed-line traffic in liberalised markets is a fraction of that.
Quality tier
Premium CLI routes target ASR above 45%, ACD above 90 seconds and PDD under 3 seconds. Standard routes trade some of that for cost. Mixing tiers per destination is usually cheaper than buying one tier for everything.
Billing increments
Per-second 1/1 billing versus 60/60 rounding can change your effective cost by 10-20% on short-duration traffic. Always compare rate decks on effective cost, not headline rate.
Volume and commitment
Committed monthly volume unlocks tighter pricing on your top destinations. Rate decks are reissued as your traffic profile grows.
Settlement terms
Prepaid accounts get the sharpest pricing because there is no credit exposure. Postpaid terms carry a small premium reflecting settlement risk.
Surcharges to watch
Some suppliers add short-duration, low-ASR or high-cost-destination surcharges. Ours are disclosed in the rate deck itself, not in a separate annex.
What each product is billed on
| Product | Billed on | Increment | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| A-Z voice termination | Per connected minute | 1/1 (per second) | Separate CLI and non-CLI rates per destination |
| SIP trunking | Per minute, no channel fee | 1/1 (per second) | Committed plus burstable channels included |
| DIDs / origination | Monthly rental + inbound minute | Monthly / 1/1 | Geographic, national, mobile and toll-free tiers |
| A2P / P2P SMS | Per delivered message | Per segment | Per-country, per-operator with volume tiers |
| Toll-free termination | Per connected minute | 1/1 (per second) | Country-specific availability |
Rates themselves are quoted per account in a rate deck - destination-level pricing depends on your volumes, quality tier and settlement terms.
How to compare two wholesale rate decks fairly
- Weight by your own traffic. Apply each deck to last month's minutes per destination. A deck that is cheaper on 180 countries you never call is not cheaper.
- Normalise the increments. Recalculate a 60/60 deck at your real average call duration before comparing it to per-second pricing.
- Check quality against price. A route that is 8% cheaper but drops ASR by 10 points costs you more in retries and lost conversations than it saves.
- Read the surcharge annex. Short-duration and low-ASR penalties can erase the headline saving entirely.
- Price the operations. Direct NOC escalation and same-day route swaps have real value when a destination degrades mid-campaign.
For a deeper walkthrough of route quality and commercial terms, read our guide to choosing a wholesale voice carrier, or see wholesale SIP trunking specifications.
Pricing questions we get asked
How much does wholesale SIP trunking cost?
Wholesale SIP trunking is priced per minute against a destination rate deck rather than per channel. There is no per-seat or per-channel licence fee at AstraQom Wholesale: you commit to a monthly volume, receive a rate deck for the destinations you send to, and are billed per second with 1/1 increments on most routes.
Why do wholesale VoIP termination rates change so often?
Termination rates track upstream carrier costs, regulated mobile termination rates and currency movement. Rate decks are reissued whenever an upstream changes; increases are notified in advance and decreases are applied immediately in your favour.
What is the difference between CLI and non-CLI pricing?
CLI (caller ID guaranteed) routes cost more because they use direct or one-hop interconnects with CLI integrity and higher ASR/ACD. Non-CLI routes are cheaper and suited to cost-sensitive traffic where caller ID delivery is not required. Both are available on the same trunk so you can route per destination.
Do you require a minimum commitment or setup fee?
There is no setup fee. Prepaid accounts can start with a modest initial deposit; postpaid terms with weekly or bi-weekly settlement are available after a credit review and traffic history.
How is DID and SMS pricing structured?
DIDs are billed as a monthly rental per number plus an inbound per-minute rate that varies by number type (geographic, national, mobile, toll-free). A2P SMS is billed per delivered message on a per-country, per-operator basis with volume tiers.
Can I get a rate deck before signing anything?
Yes. Send your destination list and monthly minute volumes and we return a targeted rate deck, usually within one business day, with no contract required to review it.
Get a rate deck for your destinations
Send us your destination list and monthly volumes - we'll return targeted pricing, usually within one business day.