Business private branch exchange (PBX) has traditionally been known within the telecommunications industry as an optimized communication solution. It provides a telephone switching system responsible for both incoming and outgoing calls. Business PBX phones systems have become increasingly sophisticated in contemporary times. Industry standards are the small business PBX and the IP-based small business PBX systems that suit specific enterprise needs. The small business PBX has a very limited scope of use. It helps incoming and the outgoing calls for company personnel on an internal basis. PBX is connected to the public phone systems in order to help automatic routing of all incoming calls to specific lines.

A small business PBX infrastructure controls multiple lines. Internal and external phone lines as well as computers can be connected and the process helps in routing call switching. On the other hand, IP-based businesses involving PBX can do everything that a conventional small business PBX can do. IP-based small business PBX methods have both data and voice capabilities which means there are opportunities than with a small business PBX. This setup has two networks, one for data and another for voice calls. This can decrease bills significantly because of the potential to get two lines in one.

Here are some questions to help you to find a new business phone system that works for your specific needs.

  • Do you need a full phone system with a physical office telephone or just a virtual phone service that can be based on mobile devices and the cloud?
  • Do you need a traditional landline telephone service or a voice over Internet (VOIP) system?
  • If you want a voice over the internet (VOIP) system, do you want it to be hosted by your service provider or at your business premises?

On-premise business PBX

The business PBX phone system is said to be on premise when the hardware that operates the phone system is entirely housed in a physical building. There are some advantages of having on-premise business PBX such as low cost over a long period. However, the initial cost can be prohibitive because it entails the acquisition of servers. The good news is that this cost will be recouped in a short time.

The other advantage to this method is that you customize the on-premise phone system to suit your needs. For instance, you can enhance the security and internal workings of your system to ensure that you’re most sensitive data is secured from hackers and outside interference. The flip side is that you will have to take care of all essential maintenance and repair costs by yourself. Your IT staff needs to be up to the task in order to check and correct any outages or anomalies.

Hosted business PBX phone system

This type of infrastructure doesn’t require the hardware of the system to be housed in an office building. Instead, the servers and other hardware are stored far away in an off-site location. Phones are the only ones located at your business premises. While the equipment and security of the phone system are maintained and repaired by service providers. This can be a blessing in disguise especially for the small and medium-sized business that don’t have to trouble themselves with technical issues of the system. That means if something goes wrong such as an outage or technical failure, the service providers have to fix the situation.

The process of selecting PBX infrastructure is often confusing for most businesses to navigate. With many choices it is important to select the business phone system PBX that works best for individual needs.