Communication is of crucial importance in any business organization more so, during present times when there is open market economy and competition is...
Communication is of crucial importance in any business organization more so,
during present times when there is open market economy and competition is getting fiercer.
VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) is telephone communication based on internet similar to all the other applications that you have been hitherto using like email, databases, and instant messaging etc. PBX technology has now advanced into IP communications and IP-PBXs are the latest innovation in the telecom sector.
All voice communications are sent as data packets. IP-PBXs are steadily gaining in popularity, loosening the stranglehold hitherto enjoyed by the traditional PBX manufacturers. IP-PBXs are proving to be extremely efficient, cost effective and provide a host of incredible benefits.
The IP-PBX market is steadily expanding and this is not surprising with the prices of IP-PBX falling, more and more features getting added and choices becoming more abundant. The writing on the wall is clear IP-PBX is assuredly the future norm of business communications.
IP-PBX technology boasts of advanced communication features like voicemail to email, provides scalability and also the ability to connect to traditional PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Service) lines.
An IP-PBX business phone system comprises of one or multiple IP-Phones, an IP-PBX server and an optional VoIP gateway to connect to existing PSTN lines. The IP-PBX server establishes a directory of registered IP-Phones and their corresponding SIP addresses and connects LAN calls or directs outgoing calls either to a VoIP gateway or a VoIP service provider.
An IP-PBX business phone system will use your existing LAN. The PBX server is only a short distance away, so signaling distance and time is very short and does not entail traveling over the Internet and other networks.
IP-PBX means lower operational costs with passage of time. A business owned IP-PBX will usually result in lower averaged monthly operating costs and will be highly cost-effective especially for systems with a higher number of users.
An IP-PBX system will be much more acceptable to computer savvy business owners particularly those who have experience with networks. Since phones are IP-based, you can move them from one connection to another and they will effortlessly connect right back up to the PBX server.
If you have a plethora of branch offices, they can be added to an existing system and connected through an Internet connection. An IP-PBX allows you to connect hardware phones directly to a standard computer network port which it can share with the neighboring computer. Software phones can be installed directly onto the PC. Thus, adding or moving extension is child's play.
Since the IP-PBX is computer-based, you can integrate phone functions with business applications. For instance, you can access the customer record automatically when you receive a call, improving customer relation management (CRM) and minimize cost by reducing time spent on each caller.
As an IP-PBX is software-based it is easier for developers to add features and improve existing feature. Most IP phone systems come with auto attendant, voicemail, ring groups and reporting and these advanced options are often expensive in proprietary systems.
Scalability is a huge plus. With an IP-PBX, a standard computer can easily handle a large number of phone lines and extensions simply add more phones to your network to expand. Using SIP trucking with an in house IP-PBX can reduce phone bills, especially for long distance and overseas calls.
