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Choosing a Phone System
It is often taken for granted the fact that business phone service is probably the single most mission critical function that any office has, large or small. Therefore, choosing the right kind of phone system becomes a very important task. A wrong choice of telephony solutions, often cost companies more money and yet do not meet users' needs. In choosing a phone system, one need to consider the following:
1. Interview employees and compile a list of all key telephone functionality that are required to efficiently conduct the day to day business.
2. Project the capacity growth requirement and choose a system that can grow with the business for at least two to three years. Purchasing too much excess capacity and rarely use functionality not just waste money but ended up with out-of- date technology for long time to come.
3. Establish budgetary target for the telephony solution that one need to buy. Consider financing options based on the cash flow and potential tax implications.
Once we have done the homework, one needs to know how to go by choosing a telephony solution
. There are largely five types of solutions for small to medium sized business:
- Direct business or Centrex lines
- Key systems
- Private Branch Exchange or PBX
- Hybrid key systems
- Computer based PBX or Telephony Servers
There are quite a bit of overlap in terms of numbers of users being supported by these five solutions and it often varies on the practical limits of each solutions depend on the nature of business and how the systems are being used in the daily operations. In general, based on the cost and operational effectiveness, one can use the following as guidelines:
Direct business or Centrex lines
This is the only solution that does not require in-house telephone switches. It is:
- Typically good for one to 5 users type business
- Requires least amount of initial equipment investment and with quick deployment.
- It requires low maintenance, since there is no on-site telephone switch to deal with.
- Has the highest outside lines to phone sets ratio. Typically it is 1 to 1.
- Only Centrex provides features such as call transfers, conference calls.
- Voice mails are optionally available for both business and Centrex lines.
- Monthly cost could add up quickly as the numbers of lines and voice mail boxes increase.
- Neither services support auto-attendant.
- It has the highest metering cost, since checking messages or transferring calls would require a call through the trunks (means outside lines).
Key Telephone System
- Mostly used in 5 to 32 users environment. Although many key systems can support more than 32 users.
- Requires installing the switch on-site
- The main character of a Key Telephone System is its use of proprietary multi-button telephone sets.
Users need to press the "CO" buttons to make outgoing calls or receive incoming calls.
- It has intercom build-in on each phone sets.
- Voice Mail and Auto-attendant are typically available as add on units with limited recording capabilities.
- Has the lowest per user cost, if voice mail is not required.
- Uses older (relay switch) technology to perform switching.
Hybrid Key System
- Minimum extension size is typically 16 users and up.
- It has attributes of both key systems and PBX.
- Supports multi-button phones as well as standard 2500 analog phones.
- Fax machines, modems, cordless phones can be connected through the analog extension lines.
- One does not need to press the "CO" button on the analog phones to make outgoing calls.
Private Branch Exchange (PBX)
- Can start from 8 users and up to thousands of users
- Supports analog phone sets.
- Requires on-site installation of the switch.
- Need to dial an outside line access digit (typically "9") to make outgoing calls.
- Requires attendant consoles.
- Programming or reprogramming requires skilled technician's help
- Voice Mails and Auto-attendant are supported through add on secondary system. Require on- site technician to perform the integration.
- Higher equipment cost due to the proprietary nature of the switch design compare to computer based PBX also known as UnPBX.
Telephony Server, or UnPBX
This new "breed" of phone systems were created as the result of the convergence between the traditional PBX and the computer technologies. It has the following characteristics:
- Maximum users supported are in the mid to high 100.
- Uses the latest digital technologies such as Digital Signal Processors and digital to analog and analog to digital converters.
- Overall hardware cost is lower due to the use of PC hardware components.
- Overall software cost is lower because of emerging standards, such as TAPI and off-the-self operating systems, such as Windows NT.
- It is often network based.
- Provide high functional integration, such as switching and voice mails are supported on the same platforms.
- Many provide unified or integrated voice, e-mail and fax mail messaging.
- Many capabilities such as call center ACD, IVR, customer database "screen pop" applications used to be only available in enterprise environment, are now cost effective enough to be used by small to medium sized business.
This outline is intended to help viewers have a better understanding of various telephony solutions available in today's market. However, the choice of solution depends very much on the nature of the business, the budgetary, and other constraints.
AMMstar Corporations has the experience and the product knowledge. We would like to assist potential buyers to make the right choice of telephony solutions, which can support the business growth. Please contact our Webmaster with questions or comments.
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