Businesses have four primary phone service options: traditional PBX, mobile PBX, hosted VoIP, and hardware VoIP. Consider hardware requirements and expansion capabilities when selecting a solution. Traditional PBX uses physical connections, mobile PBX requires no hardware, hosted VoIP routes calls to virtual software, and hardware VoIP uses an Internet connection.
There are several options for business phone service, each with clear advantages and disadvantages. The four primary phone service options for businesses are the traditional private branch exchange (PBX), mobile PBX, hosted Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP), and hardware VoIP. Businesses should primarily consider hardware requirements and expansion capabilities when selecting a business phone solution.
A traditional private branch exchange (PBX) uses physical connections to connect many business telephone lines. Using a PBX, business extensions can connect to each other or to an external caller. Traditional PBX systems often require a human operator, who directs calls and chooses the correct connections. Businesses that already have PBX systems may not need to upgrade to newer systems. Fast-growing businesses, however, can often benefit from a solution that doesn’t require the installation of physical hardware.
Mobile PBX is a business phone solution that works similar to traditional PBX, but requires no hardware. Instead of relying on a physical PBX and operator, mobile PBX systems use hosted software from a third-party vendor. Virtual extensions can be added to the system and routed to employee mobile numbers. When you receive a call, it is automatically routed to one of the available mobile phones. The main advantage of mobile PBX is the simplicity of adding new extensions.
Hosted Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a telephone service that is very similar to a mobile PBX. While calls to a mobile PBX are routed to employee cell phones, calls through a hosted VoIP system are routed to virtual software. This software interface is often called a “softphone” and acts as a telephone interface installed on a computer. Using microphones or headsets connected to the computer, employees can make and receive calls over the Internet. As with mobile PBX solutions, hosted VoIP phone service allows businesses to scale quickly without buying expensive hardware.
VoIP hardware bridges the gap between a traditional PBX and hosted VoIP systems. Like the traditional PBX, VoIP hardware must be purchased and installed in a corporate location. Instead of using regular phone lines to route calls, however, VoIP hardware uses an Internet connection. This allows you to add new extensions anywhere on your company’s computer network. VoIP hardware allows businesses to own and control their own service, without relying on a third-party VoIP provider.
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