Phone Systems Review

Business Phone Systems

Buying a business VoIP phone system for your company is an important decision and one that must be taken with a lot of thought and consideration. Understanding your business needs and then examining the different types of phone systems will help in making the right decision.

Types of phone systems

There are three main types of phone systems available currently in the market. These are the PBX system, Key system and KSU-less system. The system you opt for would depend largely on the number of lines and the features that you need for your business operations.

There is a fourth option, which is VoIP. This technology provides voice calling through the Internet and can prove considerably cheaper besides having other benefits.

Private Branch Exchange System (PBX)

The PBX system is ideal if you have more than 40 employees and you need features and advanced functionality. This system is programmable, so if you need additional implementation this can be done without any problems. There is a price to pay for this flexibility, but the difference is usually quite less than what you expect.

Key System

If a business needs between five and 40 extensions, then the Key system is a suitable type of phone system. This system has a central control unit referred to as the Key System Unit (KSU), which provides the necessary features that are usually not present in ordinary phones. The Key system is less flexible than a PBX system, but normally comes with all the basic functions that are needed by any business operations.

Though the Key and PBX differ in their technical systems, the Key system now provides many features that were only to be seen in the PBX setup. Some types of phone systems operate both as PBX or Key system according to the software installed in them. These are now referred to as ?Hybrid? phone systems.

KSU-less System

This system is appropriate for companies that have less 10 employees, or need less than 10 extensions. This system needs a much lower initial expenditure and the phones would provide almost all of the features that you would need. There is no central cabinet needed, as the phones themselves incorporate all the technology that links them to each other.

One advantage of this system is that it is not wired permanently in your premises, which means they can be unplugged and taken to another location or sold off if needed. So, the system works like any other business machine in your office, instead of a permanent investment in infrastructure.

The VoIP Option

The Voice over Internet Protocol technology facilitates making and receiving calls through the Internet. It makes for cost savings and also offers new features. There is the consumer VoIP and the business phone system, where remote offices are linked to a single phone system and have extension to extension connections. Improvement in audio quality and reduced cost of technology has seen the growth of VoIP in business operations. There is the likelihood of VoIP phone systems replacing the traditional phone networks in the future, as reliability improves and prices fall, as it is an extremely suitable option for both small and large companies.