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Reasons why you should choose an IP-PBX for your next Home or Office Phone System

By: Larry Stevens

This whitepaper explains the top 10 reasons why you should throw out your outdated PBX and replace it with a new software based IP PBX. This whitepaper also offers a brief explanation of what an IP PBX is, how it works and how it integrates with VOIP providers and PSTN Gateways.

What is an IP PBX Phone System

An IP PBX is a complete telephony system that provides telephone calls over IP data networks. All conversations are sent as data packets over the network. The technology includes advanced communication features but also provides a significant dose of worry-free scalability and robustness that all enterprises seek.

You don’t necessarily have to disrupt your existing external communication infrastructure:  An IP PBX is able to connect to traditional PSTN lines via a VOIP gateway - so an enterprise can keep its regular telephone numbers.

The Top 10 Factors

#1: Significantly simpler to install & configure than a PSTN proprietary Phone System

An IP PBX runs as software on a personal computer and can leverage the advanced processing power of the computer and user interface as well as Windows’ capabilities. Anyone proficient in networking and computers can install and maintain an IP PBX. By contrast a proprietary phone system generally requires an installer trained on that particular proprietary program!

#2: Simpler to manage because of web/GUI based configuration interface

An IP PBX could be managed via a web-based configuration interface or a GUI, allowing you to easily maintain and fine tune your phone system. Proprietary phone systems have difficult-to-use interfaces which are usually designed to be used only by trained phone technicians.

#3: Significant cost savings using VOIP providers

With an IP PBX you can easily use a VOIP service provider for domestic and international calls. The monthly savings are substantial.  If you have branch offices, you can easily connect phone systems between branches and make absolutely free phone calls.  All you have to do is pick up the phone and dial an extension number of your colleague.

#4: Eliminate phone wiring

An IP PBX allows you to connect hardware phones directly to a standard computer network port (which it can share with the adjacent personal computer). Software or IP phones can be installed directly onto the PC. You can now eliminate the phone wiring and make adding or moving of extensions significantly simpler. In new offices you can completely eliminate the extra ports to be used by the phone!

#5: Eliminate vendor lock in

IP PBXs are based on the open SIP standard. You can now mix and match any SIP hardware or software phone with any SIP-based IP PBX, PSTN Gateway or VOIP provider. In contrast, a proprietary phone system generally requires proprietary phones that use advanced features, and proprietary extension modules to add capabilities.

Reason #6: Scalable

Proprietary systems are easy to outgrow: Adding more phone lines or extensions frequently requires expensive hardware modules. In some cases you require an entirely new phone program. Not so with an IP PBX: a regular personal computer can easily handle a large number of phone lines and extensions - just add more phones to your network to expand!

#7: Better customer service & productivity

With an IP PBX you can deliver better customer service and better productivity: Since the telephone method is now computer-based you can integrate phone functions with business applications. For example: Bring up the customer record of the caller automatically when you receive his/her call, dramatically improving customer service and cutting cost by reducing time spent on each caller. Outbound calls may be placed directly from a program such as MS Outlook, removing the need for the user to type in the phone number.

#8: Twice the phone program functions for half the price

Since an IP PBX is software-based, it is less difficult for developers to add and improve feature sets. Most VOIP phone systems come with a rich feature set, including auto attendant, voice mail, ring groups, advanced reporting and more. These options are often very expensive in proprietary systems.

#9: Allow hot desking & roaming

Hot desking - the process of being able to easily move offices/desks based on the task at hand, has become very popular. Unfortunately standard PBXs require extensions to be re-patched to the new location. With an IP PBX the user simply takes his phone to his new desk - No patching required!

Users can roam too - if an employee has to work from home, he/she can simply fire up their SIP software phone and are able to answer calls to their extension, just as they would in the office. Calls can also be forwarded anywhere in the world because of the SIP protocol characteristics!

#10: Better phone usability: SIP phones are less difficult to use

Employees normally struggle using advanced phone capabilities: Setting up a conference, and transferring a call - on an old PSTN PBX all requires instruction.

Not so with an IP PBX - all capabilities are easily performed from a user friendly Windows GUI. In addition, users get a better overview of the status of other extensions and of inbound lines and call queues via the IP PBX Windows client. Proprietary systems typically require expensive ‘system’ phones to see what’s going on your phone system. Also, with an IP PBX the stats and analytics that can be generated is endless.

Conclusion

An investment in a software based IP PBX makes a lot of sense, not only for new companies buying a phone method, but also for companies who already have a PBX. Or even for home use.  An IP PBX delivers such considerable savings in management, maintenance, and termination costs that all companies should be looking at upgrading to an IP PBX.