As a business owner, you are likely constantly bombarded with offers of the latest and greatest tech to make work easier. This is undeniably true when it comes to telecommunications. Even if your current business phone system is good, you’re probably wondering if it could be better, less expensive, or do more for you. After all, that’s what all the ads say, right? You’ve probably heard or read the term PBX in this informational clutter about your business phone system options. PBX stands for Private Branch Exchange, and a PBX phone system creates an internal telephone network just for your business to interconnect your employees and allow them to connect to outside lines. Let’s learn more about PBX phone systems before deciding if they’re right for you.
What Is PBX?
If you can picture how a large municipal phone network works, with branches of different numbers reaching off into different areas, you can also picture a PBX. PBX, or private branch exchange, is a smaller, localized phone network that only exists within one business. These networks often have the same main number that can call in and out, and each individual user has their own extension. The PBX typically facilitates calls between different extensions but also allows outgoing calls and incoming calls for each user.
Is PBX Analog or Digital?
PBX systems can be either analog or digital. Analog systems are traditional phone systems running on copper phone lines. Digital systems are usually VoIP (or Voice over IP). Analog systems are tried-and-true, but they are rapidly becoming outdated. Some newer construction doesn’t even include running these lines, since VoIP is much more common and the lines for the internet need to be run regardless. Choosing to only run lines for the internet saves new construction projects both time and money. Analog systems also often cannot support newer features, while digital PBX networks continue to expand. Digital PBX systems make updating, expanding, and maintaining the network easier.
How Are PBX Systems Hosted?
PBX phone systems can also be hosted either on-premises or in the cloud. Only digital PBX systems can be virtually hosted in the cloud, which is only an option if you’ve upgraded to VoIP. The major benefit of cloud-hosted PBX systems is that you don’t have to have any equipment except your phones. All of the other equipment is physically stored and maintained by your provider. If you have the space and the staff to handle the storage and maintenance, you can also have your digital PBX phone system hosted physically at your location. This is usually more expensive upfront but protects you from price hikes from your provider.
Find the Best VoIP Phone System Solution with Delta Intellicom
Are you ready to experience the benefits of ACD for yourself? Delta Intellicom can satisfy all of your telecommunication needs, whether you need help with your new VoIP system or just want to streamline your existing office phone network. We have served the Maryland, Washington, D.C, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvania areas for over 20 years and offer an unparalleled customer experience. We have the expertise and products to fulfill all of your phone service and data needs. For more information, contact us online or give us a call at 1-800-946-3358. For more tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.