What is an IP PBX System?

A VoIP PBX System is a telecommunications device that provides voice connectivity to desk phones within a building and oversees outgoing and incoming calls across its telephone network using an internet connection. The system can be either on-premises or cloud-based and is designed to be easily updated and maintained by the users who are running it, allowing them to grow without any additional capital expenditure or cost for upgrades.

The PBX is usually housed in a telecom closet or server room and connected to existing copper-based landlines. This allows for the use of a variety of phones that are compatible with an IP PBX including SIP phones and softphones.

Most businesses today choose to use an IP PBX because of its ability to provide converged voice and data communications that enable more agile, flexible and scalable business operations. This type of phone system also makes it easier to expand into new locations, improve customer service, and increase productivity.

When looking for an IP PBX System, it’s important to consider your budget and the features you need. This will determine what sort of solutions are right for your business.

Whether you have an SME or a large enterprise, you need to consider your future goals for your company and what you want your system to do for you. Are you planning to add or subtract lines, features, or services? Are you thinking of deploying video conferencing or mobility services?

The number of phone lines or extensions you need will depend on your business needs and how quickly you can adapt to changes. For a small business, this may mean only adding or removing a few phone lines and extensions as needed. For larger companies, it can mean expanding to multiple locations and needing more phone lines and extensions to meet business growth.

A PBX can be an expensive investment and the upfront costs are not always low, especially for a small to medium sized business. For example, a premise-based PBX can cost up to $9,000 per user for hardware and software licensing. In addition to the hardware, there are installation costs for new wiring and cabling.

Another factor to consider is the time it will take to get your PBX online and ready for use. With a premise-based PBX, this can be costly and time consuming and requires hiring telecom engineers to make updates or changes.

With a cloud-based PBX, these costs are often lower and maintenance is easier for users to handle and manage. This also allows for faster deployment, ensuring that the system is available when you need it most.

Some hosted PBX systems will even manage the SIP trunking service that connects your business to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) and can help you avoid costly long distance charges when calling out of the country.

With an IP PBX, you can have a phone system that integrates seamlessly with your other communication applications such as email, instant messaging and desktop sharing. You can also enjoy a wide range of advanced features like call routing, fixed/mobile convergence, interactive voice response, voicemail to email, conferencing, and video calling. Check out this related post to get more enlightened on the topic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VoIP_phone.