Over the last few years, the virtual PBX phone system has evolved and matured at a quick pace. It's no surprise that every medium and large company is beginning to use PBX technology.
Businesses must ensure that the PBX they are deploying fits all of their criteria, just as they must with all other tools. There are many different types of PBX systems to examine, but not all of them will satisfy your needs. Let's first go over the different types of PBX so you can understand the benefits and drawbacks of each one and determine which one is best for your business.
Legacy PBX
The grand old system of having many phone lines separating into multiple extensions is known as traditional PBX. Businesses used to use this technology to conduct communication activities in the past. To ensure maximum efficiency, this PBX requires maintenance after a set length of time. This system also includes an installation fee and makes you reliant on a third party for upgrades.
On-Premise PBX
The on-premise PBX system, as the name implies, must be installed on the business premises. The on-premise PBX system additionally necessitates specialized telephone wire that is only maintained by a PBX technician with extensive knowledge.
To connect to the telephone lines, on-premise PBX uses Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) technologies.
It comes with various important advantages such as:
- Ability to continue using current telephone carrier.
- Cost-saving due to server ownership.
- Ability to introduce open-sourced features.
- Greater control
- Hybrid PBX
Hybrid PBX
The sweet spot between legacy and on-premise PBX is hybrid PBX. It enables organizations to use VoIP on their traditional PBX system. To communicate with the outside world, a Hybrid PBX system uses both PSTN and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP). The most important advantage of Hybrid PBX is the flexibility it offers. It possesses the ability to switch to the other network whenever there is an issue with the legacy PBX and VoIP networks.
It's also worth noting that hybrid PBX is ideal for offices with several locations. You won't have to pay anything more because the call from one of your offices to another isn’t needed to be charged. Businesses used to connect directly to the hybrid PBX using cordless phones.
Hybrid PBX has a significant cost disadvantage. To employ a full-fledged hybrid PBX, not all firms can afford to leverage and maintain on-premise PBX. You may have to spend hundreds of dollars to install hybrid PBX and then spend even more money on upkeep.
Hosted PBX
Unlike legacy, on-premise, or hybrid PBX, hosted PBX is a sort of virtual PBX that uses current broadband service to provide PBX services. There isn't a physical machine in this configuration. This also implies that any third-party software or hardware required for business communication must be deployed or installed. There are no telephone lines used in the hosted PBX, and all communication is done through SIP trunks. All you need are some IP phones that have been pre-configured. It's a plug-and-play game once you have it. Hosted PBX leverages your internet connection to make and receive calls and deliver enterprise-grade PBX service once you've connected to your broadband. Hosted PBX is a cutting-edge option for PBX services that allow your staff and customers to connect from anywhere in the world. To deliver PBX services, you can host your services on any server—inbuilt or third-party. It's not just cost-effective, but it also comes with a slew of additional features, including remote compatibility, cloud support, and more.
Cloud PBX
The most advanced PBX system available is cloud or SaaS. With a cloud-based PBX system, you have complete control over all of your PBX activities.
Businesses can overcome space and expense constraints by using a virtual PBX. It facilitates the connection of all of your devices to a cloud-based phone system. Then, using an application programming interface, you may add a lot of customizations and combine your system with SMS and other important services (API).
You don't have to implement cloud-based PBX everywhere, just like hosted PBX. You can manage your call flows utilizing a software-based virtual interface on your personal computer (PC).
Cloud PBXs employ VoIP as well and must be connected to the internet at all times to ensure 100% uptime. Cloud PBX is the technology of the future, where everything is done on your computer and no third-party services are required. All of the upgrades can be completed over the internet without jeopardizing your data or causing any technical issues.
Now that you know the many types of PBX, you can decide which one is best for you based on your needs. Cloud PBX, such as PBXPlus, is ideal for startups looking to build a name for themselves and needing something affordable yet powerful to help them expand.
