If you are new to the world of business phone systems and are an involved in choosing from the latest technology on offer, then you would be easily forgiven for finding the process some what confusing. In the last 15 years the advances in business communications have been quite frankly, gigantic. In fact the advances are of such an extent that many people in the industry are calling it as much of a revolution as when fixed line telephone communications were first invented.

To help understand the business telephone system variants on offer, a list can be complied as follows-

Digital PBX

These phone systems, also called a key system or TDM platforms, have been around for approximately 18 years and are still in manufacturer. Typically a digital PBX can support from 2 up to 1000 users and is still widely in use today, however the technology is now becoming dated (directory because of IP based solutions) and are they are generally purchased by smaller business, often with 20 users or less. A digital PBX is installed locally on the business premises and all telephone calls are fed into and processed on site.

Feature line

Feature line, or Centrex, services have been around for over 20 years and are provided by the line carriers themselves. They operate, quite simply, by having one business telephone line installed to each and every user within the business. Feature line can cater from a single user up to many thousands of users and is often priced on a per line basis. The telephone call switching is handled off site at the nearest local exchange. Centrex services are now being superseded by IP Centrex solutions (see below) but are often still installed for smaller size business.

Hybrid PBX phone system

The most common business phone system solution in use today is a Hybrid PBX which supports both IP and digital phone lines and handsets. Hybrid systems have are popular as they offer mid-upgrade solution between the latest IP solutions and the older digital PBX solutions often helping business reduce the burden of the upgrade cost. Hybrid PBX systems are installed locally into the business premises.

IP PBX telephone system

An IP PBX telephone system is often called a pure IP solution as it supports only IP enabled devices both in terms of the telephone lines and phone extensions. These systems are the ones being pushed by the majority of manufactures today and are here to stay for many years to come. The technology has been around for 10 years but it has got to such a point now where it is considered reliable and the mainstream choice for future upgrades. IP PBX systems are also installed locally into the business premises.

Hosted PBX solution

A Hosted PBX business phone system, which is otherwise known as hosted VoIP or IP Centrex revolve around the end user having an IP enabled business telephone on their desk connected to an internal data network. This network is then in turn connected to an external data network, such as an xDSL or private data network which completes the link from the telephone handset back to a remotely hosted telephone system platform.

Soft switch phone systems

A soft switch solution, again a fairly recent development in the business telephone system world is telephone based software that is installed onto a PC server, normally hosted by the local business. The most popular of these solutions in the market place is developed by Asterix and is actually a shareware application. The solution supports SIP based telephones and is becoming an increasingly popular choice for smaller businesses, however as the application is becoming more stable medium size business are also starting to adopt.

Mobile PBX systems

Mobile PBX, often referred to as hosted MBX is perhaps the newest business phone system technology in use today. The system acts as a remotely hosted PBX with all calls dealt with off site, however instead of using fixed IP telephone handsets mobile telephone handsets are used to handle all business calls, with the general exception of the operator who would be provided with a headset and PC to handle inbound call traffic.

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