Thursday, March 18, 2010

VoIP Or PBX Phone System - What's the Difference?

In the world of office technology, there are many technical terms used which can confuse even the most savvy user. Furthermore, two of the most confused office technology terms are VoIP and PBX. If you run a small office and are looking for optimal communication, you should look no further than a VoIP or PBX phone system.

Both streamline the communication process by keeping you and your staff linked, for a fraction of the cost of a traditional phone system. If you're looking for the perfect office phone system but can't decide between a VoIP or PBX phone system, here are some key attributes that one apart from the other:

VoIP System

VoIP stands for Voice over Internet Protocol. It uses a packet switched network to pass voice data that has been digitized from one point to another. This allows telecommunications companies to have more conversations in the same amount of bandwidth. One of the biggest draws of VoIP services is the cheap long distance calls. In addition, VoIP set-up differs from PBX set-up in that users are often left to set up the VoIP systems themselves, whereas many PBX companies take charge of the setup and the users don't have to do anything.

PBX System

PBX stands for Public Branch Exchange. Essentially, it is a miniature telephone network set route incoming call to the appropriate extension and to share phone lines between each extension. Many companies like a PBX phone system because of the great features included with the service like automated greetings for callers dialing menus, connections to voicemail, teleconferencing and much more.

In addition, it reduces cost by removing the need for every person in the office to have an individual phone line that gets used a fraction of the time. In turn, PBX allows the company to reduce the number of lines, while still having a telephone in each office or department. All internal calls are routed internally and outside calls are routed to any available outside lines.

Another attractive feature of PBX phone systems is their ability to evenly distribute call to a department among available employees, conference multiple incoming calls, and even play music while the caller is on hold. All in all, a PBX system in your small office can really give prospective clients the sense that you're professional and polished, every time they call.

IP PBX System: The new addition to PBX technology

As the technology has developed, many PBX systems are equipped to handle VoIP calls, this is often called IP PBX. Using VoIP in a PBX phone system can really make communication seamless in your office by allowing users to utilize a single phone to dial outside numbers or make long-distance calls. A software program like an IP PBX system can take advantage of the processing power of a computer and Windows. Another extremely convenient feature is that it allows easy roaming of users. Calls can be taken anywhere in the world because of the SIP protocol characteristics.
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