A Quick IP PBX Telephone Systems Guide

For the past thirty years, legacy PBX (Private Branch eXchange) systems were the ultimate in business communications but today's IP PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch eXchange) systems are less expensive and far more capable than their predecessors. They also integrate much better into business networks and data communications which, in turn, enable new applications for common business practices. Modern IP PBX systems deliver multinational enterprise capabilities, often at a cost lower than the far more basic systems they are replacing. IP PBX systems are changing how many businesses implement and use their voice communications.

Basically, IP PBX systems are telephone exchange and extension managers for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone calls. The essential advantage IP PBX systems offer is the ability to add features that have only been affordable or available to enterprise size corporations up to now. Voice over IP (VoIP) and Internet telephony are often also more cost-effective when looking at long-term operating costs, due to lower monthly fees and much lower costs to connect and complete calls.

Traditional Telephone Systems

The simplest type is called a keyless system or KSU-less system. They are very lightweight telephone systems designed for organizations with fewer than 10 employees that have very basic phone requirements. The advantage of these systems is that they are very inexpensive and simple to set up and run. However, in a typical keyless system, many features are often impossible to implement. These systems are in fact being phased out since more full-featured PBX systems are approaching them in cost while delivering far more benefits.

The next largest premise-based system is called a key system. These use a KSU (key system unit) that acts as a central control unit, providing typical business features and functions. Key systems are essentially closed, 'black-box' units that provide most of a basic PBX system's functions for a lower cost. They are typically used in businesses with anywhere from 5 to 50 employees that have only basic business telephony needs. Key systems are often PBX systems with some of the functionality turned off, which makes for an easy path for growth and upgrading should the business need it.

Finally there are full PBX systems, the most common and flexible kind of business phone system. Even a low-cost premise-based PBX can now offer a small business phone services that are indistinguishable externally from those used by multinational corporations.

Adding Voice Over IP

An IP PBX is a hybrid model that builds on the feature set of a legacy PBX system while incorporating VoIP. With the arrival of open-source options for VoIP and PBX software, a new breed of premise-based IP PBX has arisen. The specific benefits of an IP PBX over traditional phone systems include the following:

• A cleaner and simpler infrastructure.
• Simplified equipment and maintenance.
• Unified communications.
• Improved scalability and growth.
• Improved features for business operations.
• Improved technological features and capabilities.

Beyond the above benefits, the primary reason that small and medium businesses are attracted to VoIP remains cost savings; the inherent advantage of completing pure VoIP calls (both ends of the call are on a VoIP platform) for the low cost of broadband internet connectivity.

The bottom line with IP PBX systems is that they can provide a relatively easy way for businesses of any size to incorporate a VoIP solution and get a wide range of new features and capabilities for their telephone systems. If your company is upgrading from a legacy phone system, the savings can be substantial, and the new service will pay for itself in very short order.

If you are considering a move to a "voice over IP" telephone system for your business, our experience with the Asterisk Open Source PBX project and VoIP telephony is your resource just by contacting us!