What is a PBX phone system?
PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange System, which is a private telephone network used within a company or organization. The users of the PBX phone system can communicate internally (within their company) and externally (with the outside world), using different communication channels like Voice over IP, ISDN or analog. A PBX or PABX also allows you to have more phones than physical phone lines (PTSN) and allows free calls between users. Additionally, it provides features like transfer calls, voicemail, call recording, interactive voice menus (IVRs) and call queues.
Traditional PBXs would have their own proprietary phones, such that there would be no way to re-use these phones with a different system. This means that we either have system-lock-in (we are bound to the same system because changing system means also changing phones, which makes it prohibitively expensive to break away) or vendor-lock-in (we are bound to the same vendor because the phones are only usable with systems from the same vendor, sometimes only within a particular range of systems).
Time and technology, however, have changed the consumer telephony landscape, with the flag-bearer being the Open-Standards-based IP PBX. The point of the “IP” in this new era is that the phone calls are delivered using the Internet Protocol as the underlying transport technology.
PBX phone systems are available as hosted or virtual solutions and as on-premise solutions to be run on your own hardware.
With a traditional PBX, you are typically constrained to a certain maximum number of outside telephone lines (trunks) and to a certain maximum number of internal telephone devices or extensions. Users of the PBX phone system (phones or extensions) share the outside lines for making external phone calls.
Switching to an IP PBX brings with it many benefits and opens up possibilities, allowing for almost unlimited growth in terms of extensions and trunks, and introducing more complex functions that are more costly and difficult to implement with a traditional PBX, such as:
What is a business phone system?
A business telephone system is a multi-line phone system used in a professional environment. For enterprises and small businesses alike, this has grown to include more advanced features for managing phone calls and modern communications solutions. More specifically, IP (internet protocol) technology has expanded the possibilities of phone systems. This includes integration with other business software.
In its early forms, business telephone systems used technology such as the key telephone system (KTS). More recently, this has evolved to cloud-based private branch exchanges (PBX).
However, business telephone systems have evolved. One of the first advances allowed users to connect to other desk phones without depending on an operator or switchboard. PBX systems now connect modern SIP (session initiation protocol) and IP phones. These are also known as VoIP systems. Users can also access their office phone extension over the internet or via a mobile app.
Additional features have also brought modern communications beyond a simple phone system or even a traditional private branch exchange. Unified communications now offer the latest technology for collaboration, customer service and remote work. Some of the advanced features include video conferencing, instant messaging and virtual receptionists. Users can set up auto attendants and custom greetings or access a visual voicemail menu from an online interface.
What is office phone system technology?
Most modern office phone systems rely on IP (internet protocol) communication, using a local area network or a high-speed internet connection instead. This means enterprises and small businesses alike can use their existing phone or network wiring.
A modern office phone system connects SIP / VoIP phones to a PBX server via the internet. This can also be referred to as an office VoIP system. This technology opens the door to a greater variety of phone access:
What are the benefits of a modern business telephone system?
A simple set of office extensions may cover the basic needs of a small business. Basic features may include voicemail and call transfer. Yet, any sized business will be missing out on the advanced features of a modern communication system. These can enable better customer service and more efficient work.
3CX has established itself as the leading IP-PBX manufacturer, ticking all the checkboxes for any business looking for enterprise-grade features.
Why choose 3CX as your business phone system?
3CX has established itself as the leading IP-PBX manufacturer, ticking all the checkboxes for any business looking for enterprise-grade features.