When to Consider Hosting Your PBX

A PBX (private branch exchange) is an internal phone system that connects all of a company's phone extensions. It utilizes PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) lines to enable employees to make calls within an organization and to other external lines.

Traditional PBXs rely on a physical wiring connection that includes a landline-based phone system, copper wire, servers, and switches. However, innovative technologies have given rise to hosted or cloud PBXs, which allow members of an organization to make and receive calls via the internet. Hosted PBXs have numerous features that streamline your business operations and provide many other benefits.

Understanding the Hosted PBX Model

A hosted PBX model is a modern cloud-based phone system delivered as a hosted service by trusted service providers. Being a virtual model, it spares you the costs and responsibilities of purchasing and maintaining your on-premise PBX system. All the phone system features, including voicemails, call routing, faxing, conference calls, and automated greetings, take place over the internet.

The main costs associated with implementing hosting PBX services are the initial software and service fees for the hosting provider. You can continue using your existing phone hardware and phone numbers. The latter is useful because business phone numbers are not tied to any physical location.

Signs It's Time to Consider a Hosted PBX

Whether you're currently using a traditional hosted PBX or have started a new business and are looking for a streamlined means of communication, there are various reasons you should consider investing in a hosted PBX.

Business Growth and Scalability

Virtual phone systems support business growth and scalability by allowing the addition and removal of phone lines and extensions as your business grows and changes. They can be connected with multiple offices, eliminating inter-office call charges. These systems improve business productivity and enhance customer relations through features like call queuing, which minimizes missed calls, and automated attendants, which decrease call wait times.

Cost Concerns

Being a virtual system makes hosted PBX cost-effective primarily because it does not rely on expensive equipment. The entire phone system is hosted on the cloud, eliminating the costs of phone hardware and installation typical with traditional PBX. You minimize your business's physical needs and costs without expensive and bulky phone hardware associated with an on-premise system. You can save on phone system maintenance because it's also delegated to your service provider. You do not need dedicated IT staff to operate and maintain the hosted PBX system. You also won't need to worry about costly equipment repairs, replacements, and upgrades and will always have access to the latest technology.

Feature Limitations

Does your current phone system limit the features you have? Try a hosted PBX, which offers many innovative features that enhance communication and connectivity between clients and employees. It has features like call forwarding, recording, and analytics to make it easier to communicate with stakeholders and clientele.

Interactive voice response (IVR) features make it impossible to miss important calls and messages by allowing callers to receive important information and make requests without speaking to a live agent. You can easily turn specific features like caller ID, conference calls, auto attendants, greetings, and voicemail-to-SMS on and off. The many features hosted PBX offers improve your corporate image, especially for call centers and customer service businesses. Many PBX systems provide additional functionality by allowing universal compatibility with most SIP-enabled PBX systems. For instance, Wiretap Telecom supports integration with many SIP systems, including FreePBX, Yeastar, 3CX, and Asterisk.

IT and Maintenance Challenges

A virtual PBX is easier and cheaper to implement, manage, and maintain than traditional phone systems. Cloud-based PBX systems are less prone to maintenance issues common with traditional phone systems, like power outages and hardware failures that make them less reliable. They enable easy deployment by requiring minimal setup costs and time. Implementation of virtual PBX systems is simple because there is no need for specialized training for employees and end users to start using your new phone system. Your service provider handles the maintenance and management of hosted PBX phone systems, so you don't need to hire employees to handle the task for you. This ensures uninterrupted service without delays, lags in call quality, or response times. After deployment, your business receives around-the-clock support to achieve smooth communication and handle any challenges efficiently.

Remote Work and Mobility

A hosted PBX system allows employees to work from anywhere by routing their phone numbers and extensions to new devices. Your PBX provider may offer an app that allows employees to make and receive phone calls on their official extension from anywhere with an internet connection. Cloud-based phone systems are best for companies with remote or hybrid work cultures. Employees can easily redirect their calls to their personal phones to ensure business availability without any additional equipment or software. It is a good option if your business relies on 24/7 availability and a diversified global team.

Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity

Security is of utmost importance when handling clients' contact information. PBX increases data security by storing all communication data on the cloud. Cloud storage ensures business continuity by backing up the data and enabling fast data recovery. The data backups and archives minimize the impact of data breaches by providing failover options.

These systems securely encrypt calls and data to prevent unauthorized calls and hacking attempts. Cloud storage is far more effective than localized storage because it can accommodate your growing data needs.

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Hosted PBX Provider

Your hosted PBX provider determines the value you receive on your investment. The following are the criteria for choosing the right cloud PBX provider for your business:

• Availability and communication: Choose a cloud service provider that offers excellent customer service and availability so you can guarantee the same to your clients.
• Budget and potential cost savings: Look for a partner that offers reasonable service packages that include hosting, operations, maintenance, and technical management.
• Growth plans and scalability requirements: Partner with a hosted PBX provider that can match your everyday needs and seasonal fluctuations in call volumes by allowing you to scale the number of phone lines.

Check out Wiretap Telecom's PBX Integrations

Wiretap Telecom is an all-in-one telecom solution that provides a robust network infrastructure. We offer complete PBX integration compatible with many systems, including Asterisk, Yeastar, FreePBX, and 3CX. Our system simplifies communication management by maximizing your PBX system's potential.

Contact us for a free trial of our integration without any commitment.