How is Hosted PBX Different from a Conventional PBX

PBX or Public Branch Exchange is nothing new for large corporations that have many offices to connect. It is a telephone system that receives all incoming calls and routes them to their respective extensions. There were times when PBXs were operated manually but now we have telephone systems with automated attendants that route calls. A hosted PBX is similar to a conventional PBX but with a difference.

A conventional PBX is located somewhere in the office and the company invested money in the hardware. A hosted PBX is not located in the company premises nor does the company invest money in the hardware. Instead, it is ‘hosted’ by a service provider much like the way Internet Service Providers host websites. When someone calls your number, the call does not connect directly to your office. It first goes to the service provider who, in turn, routes the call to the first available person in the department. The service provider uses the internet to route calls to relevant extensions in your office through an internet connection. The service provider invests in hardware and whatever software that is required for providing the service.

The concept of hosted PBX holds great promise for businesses that do not have the wherewithal to invest in a full-blown PBX. The installation cost alone can be quite staggering for start-ups and small and medium sized businesses. Hosted PBXs have capabilities such as voicemails, automated greetings, call records and routing calls to the relevant department. The system can also handle calls that are not immediately picked up at your office.

The bets p[art is that hosted PBX means that you do not have to worry about maintenance and replacing obsolete systems as you do not own the PBX.

Avaya Phone System for Seamless Communications

If you are worried about the high cost of communicating with clients and employees in the field, you will have to pay attention to the equipment you are using. The phone system you are using has a bearing not only the cost but also on your calling experiences. If the system is down, then so are you; no network, no business. And downtime means revenue loss.

Avaya phone systems for small business communications use new cutting edge technology that ensures that your network is always running. Avaya is a brand that you can trust. With an Avaya phone System installed in your office, you are sure that your phones, fax machine and email are all working and you are constantly within reach of your clients.

Installing voice over internet protocol (VoIP) systems requires replacing the existing phone system in your office, which may sound a bit too much for a small business. However, the main idea behind shifting over to Avaya phone system is to reduce communication cost. Moreover, it incorporates more features than normal phone systems and VoIP systems use only one cable. As both data and voice are transmitted over the same cable and there is no need of a separate phone and T1 line.

The level of mobility that Avaya phone systems allow is unprecedented. Apart from your desktop and laptop, Avaya phone systems are compatible with a wide variety of PDAs and cell phones. This allows you to connect to the PBX even when you or your employees are not in office. If you plan to go out of office, you can configure the Avaya phone system to forward calls to your cell phone so that you do not miss important calls.

Looking Beyond VoIP to VoIP

VoIP stands for voice over internet protocol, a method of transmitting speech to a distance using over the internet. Since the internet network cannot carry analogue audio signal, it is first converted to digital data, either through inbuilt software or an external device such as analogue telephone converter (ATA). The primary objective of VoIP is to make available affordable long distance domestic and overseas calls. The earlier system was VoIP to VoIP calls and somehow limited.

Continuous development has now made it possible for VoIP technology to move beyond VoIP to VoIP calls. In the past few years this improved technology has been made available to the public on a massive scale. Newer protocols such as Media Gateway Control Protocol and Session Internet Protocol offer limitless capabilities and devoid of drawbacks associated with earlier protocols. Global communications have always been associated with high cost; conventional systems are very expensive, which makes them available to only the privileged few. Introduction of VoIP to VoIP calls made the first dent in the cost of global communications. VoIP to VoIP calls are free and as long as you have high speed broadband internet you do not have to pay anything extra.

The same technology beyond VoIP to VoIP calls however offers immense possibilities. Businesses now can do away with the traditional PBX. Latest phones systems allow businesses to employ phone systems over the internet without investing much in new infrastructure. Internet or cloud PBX is a virtual phone system that combines voice and data transmission over a single network without compromising on quality, functionality and features.

Free VoIP Service and Paid Plans

VoIP is short for Voice over Internet Protocol. It is basically another name for internet telephony, a method of transmitting speech at a distance through the internet. VoIP calls are cheaper and in some cases, even free. VoIP calls can even be made without a telephone set. Since there are different ways of making calls over the internet, the type of VoIP service depends on certain factors.

One of the biggest advantages of VoIP service is that it draws value from existing infrastructure without having to pay anything extra. Most services offer software for free download to your computer and/or smart phone. You can ask your contacts to use the same VoIP service and download its software. You can then make free computer to computer calls to anywhere in the world as long as the person you want to call is logged on. No matter how long you talk, you pay nothing except for the monthly fee that you already pay to your broadband service.

However, when you want to make a call that requires a connection with the PSTN network, the good old traditional telephone system, or a cellular network, the VoIP service will ask you to subscribe to a paid plan. Most VoIP plans on offer depend upon whether you will be using it for calling within Australia or making overseas calls. Moreover, a VoIP service may have different rates for different countries. The right idea would be to determine your usage before you opting for a paid plan. Pay as you go plans would be better for domestic use. For businesses and individuals who need to call long distance regularly, check for a VoIP service that offers a no-questions-asked monthly plan.

Choosing a VoIP Phone System for Your Office

If telephone bills are eating into your business profits, you need to shift to a VoIP phone system. It is not only cheaper than analogue phone systems but also offers many useful features that make some business operations all the more easier to handle.

A simple explanation of VoIP phone system is that it uses the internet for transmitting speech at a distance. You can make long distance calls at a fraction of the cost that you pay to your telephone company. All that you need is a fast speed broadband connection. Calls made over computer networks are free; the only cost is what you already pay to your internet service provider. However, for making calls to other networks carry a small monthly fee.

VoIP phone systems are flexible. You can buy one with a number of handsets that you need now. As you go along you might need more. You can do that on your own with the management interface without calling for technical support to come over for setting it up.

However, there are always budget constraints to take into account. The right way to choose the perfect VoIP phone system best suited to your type of business is to call for quotes and list of features. Choose a brand that offers a couple of bonus features without any extra cost. Also, make sure that you do not pay for features that you do not require.

One feature that you must have in the VoIP phone system is automated attendant. It offers multiple language options and also route incoming calls to the relevant desk. Another feature that improves efficiency by reducing response times is the ability to take calls through computers with a push of a button.

Internet Based Telephone System: A Cost Effective Option

The type of office telephone system you choose for your business can make or break. If it is not reliable, you are unable to communicate with your customers resulting in loss of business. If it costs more to install or the call rate is expensive, it affects your profit. The office telephone system you need has to be reliable, affordable and the one that incorporates features that are just perfect for you.

We have all these years lived with analogue office systems. If we needed more lines we had no option other than employing a receptionist to handle incoming calls and routing them to concerned persons in the office. Moreover, traditional telephony simply gave us the ability of making and receiving calls and nothing else. Technology has changed all that. We now have an internet-based office telephone system that incorporates more features than even state-of-the-art cellular phones.

VoIP (voice over internet protocol) telephone systems are less expensive to set up and install. Most of it can be done without having to call for technical help. In addition, some of the services such as caller ID, call forwarding and call waiting that are available at an extra cost from your telephone company are free with VoIP. Moreover, services like contact list management and name dialling are not available with a traditional office telephone system, even if you are ready to pay.

Internet telephony is flexible and versatile. You can add more users as you go on your own without having technical support coming over. Moreover, traditional telephone systems charge you for every long distance call on the basis of how long it lasted. With internet telephony, you need not worry about it because you are charged a flat monthly fee.

Multitasking Small Business Phone System for Efficient Call Management

The type of business you own and the number of calls you handle on daily basis determines the type of phone system you require. A small business phone system does not come cheap and you definitely want to get the best out of every dollar you spend. Having a good small business phone system that is just appropriate will greatly improve business operations.

As an owner of a small 7-room motel on the highway, I can tell you for sure that improper call management is unprofessional and hinders business growth. If you are using regular phones, call waiting means you miss a call and there is a limit to how many lines you can have. The best small business phone system is a PBX system. These are extremely convenient small business phone systems and you see them in hotels and doctor’s offices all the time.

PBX systems can handle as many lines you want to and can be bought with up to 60 phones with provision for adding more. It is all about multitasking. No matter how many people are calling at a given point in time, the system has the capacity to route each call to the relevant room, doctor, office or department within the premises. Traditional PBX systems were operated manually. Remember the receptionist manning a PBX with headphones on? Modern small business phone systems have an auto attendant answering system.

Modern small business phone systems can be connected to the internet for making low-cost VoIP calls. Just make sure that the broadband plan you choose offers adequate bandwidth to handle heavy usage. If your business demands that you or your employees be out in the field most of the time, choose a system that offers connectivity through cellular phones that can be used as walkie-talkies as well.