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Which Do I Need - VoIP Or PBX Phone System?
By David Maslow | June 19, 2010
Technology is changing all of the time, and this is true for telephonic communications. Two of the newest developments and most frequently confused ones are VoIP and PBX. If you run a small office and are looking for alternate sources of phone service, either a VoIP or PBX phone system is your best choice. Both provide normal phone service with extra features for significantly less than a traditional phone system. To help you decide between a VoIP or PBX phone system, the descriptions will serve to highlight their differences:
VoIP System
VoIP is short for Voice over Internet Protocol. It passes digitized voice data from one point to another over packet switched network. More conversations in the same amount of bandwidth allowed by VoIP is a major draw for telecommunications companies. Another huge advantage of VoIP services is how cheap long distance calls are. In addition, VoIP set-up differs from PBX set-up because the VoIP systems are set up by the users themselves, instead of being setup by the company like most PBX companies do.
PBX System
PBX is an acronym for Public Branch Exchange. Basically, it is a localized telephone network set to share phone lines between each extension and to route incoming call to the appropriate extension. Many companies choose to use a PBX phone system because of the great features included with the service which include: automated greetings for callers, dialing menus, connections to voicemail, teleconferencing and other such options. Moreover, it is cheaper because each extension does not need its own phone line. This lowers the number of phone lines a company has to pay for without sacrificing the number of phones it can have.
Switching to PBX allows a business to cut the number of lines, without necessitating the removal of any office or departmental phones. More services PBX offers are the even distribute call to a department among available employees, conference multiple incoming calls, and even play music while the caller is on hold. A PBX system can certainly create a professional feel for prospective clients who call your company.
IP PBX System: The new addition to PBX technology
Perhaps the closest way to having your cake and eating it too, some PBX systems are being equipped to be able to take VoIP calls; this is referred to as IP PBX. Using VoIP in a PBX phone system can really optimize communication in your office by allowing users to utilize a single phone to dial outside numbers or make long-distance calls. A software program like an IP PBX system can tap into all of the benefits of being able to access the processing power of a computer and Windows. It keeps users mobile as well, which is extremely attractive. Calls can be made and received anywhere in the world for no extra cost because of the SIP protocol characteristics.
David loves writing about phone systems, as well as linksys phones. Check out his sites at: Meridian Phone System and Linksys Phone.
Topics: Internet VoIP Technologies |