PBX means private branch exchange; a telephone system used by business. Anyone who has heard the term PBX, already knows that their business needs it. A PBX telephone system allows the users within an organisation to share multiple phones lines, also referred to as trunks. It is the central aggregation point, connecting all internal phone lines. The phones then utilise the PBX system to make and receive calls over the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).
IP PBX
Also referred to as a VoIP PBX or IP PABX, an IP PBX allows you to make and receive calls via a data line, rather than the typical Telkom telephone network. IP PBX is similar to Skype, where calls are made over the internet. The biggest benefit is a cost saving of around 40%.
The Different Types of IP PBX
Some IP PBX systems are software based, with almost limitless features and functionality because the power lives in the software and the hardware is simply an interchangeable conduit. These are known as cloud PBX systems or hosted systems.
Other PBX systems are physically hosted on premises or on site, these are known as on-premise PBX systems. They are hardware based.
On-Premise PBX
Big vendors like Samsung, Siemens & Alcatel supply IP PBX systems. They often require add-on cards to provide more features or functionality. For instance, if you require more extensions, you would need to add a new card. When specโing these systems, make sure you understand what is being provided up front and cater for growth in order to avoid additional costs down the line.
Cloud PBX
As connectivity and bandwidth have become more reliable, cloud PBX has had a significant uptake. Owning an on-premise telephony system which may become redundant in a few years, just doesnโt make sense. More than this, modern businesses require mobility. This makes hosting a PBX onsite complicated and can introduce security vulnerabilities to an internal business network.
Organisations tend to move key applications to the cloud as-a-service (aaS) and it makes sense to follow the same philosophy with a telephony system. Moving a telephony system into the Cloud and leasing it as a service also begins to put an organisation onto the right strategic trajectory for Unified Communication as a Service (UCaaS).
Now that fibre is becoming more readily available and more cost effective, businesses are getting rid of their Telkom lines completely and using a converged data link for voice and data. Itโs simpler than ever to get a telephony system which is ready to grow and adapt to a business. For more information contact us now.
