5 years ago if you had asked our experts if a Hosted PBX is as good as a traditional phone system you’d have been laughed out of the room. Today it’s hosted customers that are doing the laughing.

So what is a hosted pbx? A PBX is simply an acronym for the “Private Branch Exchange” or in laypersons terms, a phone system. Until recent years all phone systems would be installed in the location they were used. You would always find a phone system box on the office wall somewhere that provided the intelligence for your desk phones. A hosted pbx is very different. Firstly, there’s NO “box on the wall”. A hosted pbx system comes with a basic network modem/switch where the IP phone handsets are connected to. This network switch communicates over the internet back to the hosted pbx provider. The brains and hardware that drive these hosted pbx solutions are located off premises.

So Why Are Hosted PBX Phone Systems Becoming so Popular?

1. No hardware = No Installation

Unlike phone systems that require technicians to install the main equipment, hosted pbx systems don’t. Once there’s an available internet connection you simply plug the router switch into it. All the instructions it receives are remotely.

2. No Hardware = Reduced Costs

With no main equipment, you are often able to implement hosted solutions for less money.

3. Choice of Handsets

Unlike traditional phone systems where you buy handsets of the same brand as the phone system most hosted pbx suppliers are brand agnostic. You can connect any SIP handset to them and that not only increases your options but also makes very cheap SIP handsets available to you also.

4. More Features

Because the host has all features available across all their connected customers you don’t need to licence expensive add ons (call recording, call accounting etc) that you do with traditional phone systems. The provider simply activates with a click of a mouse what features you’re after. You still may be charged for some features but it will be a fraction of a normal pabx cost.

5. Grow As Big As You Want ANYWHERE

Anywhere your staff can get decent internet they can connect a hosted IP handset. And unlike hybrid or traditional phone systems that often have size restrictions a hosted pbx provider can connect 1000’s of users in the same organisation.

Years previously you would have been considered a pioneer to opt for a hosted pbx. Today you’d be crazy not to consider this as more than a viable alternative to a hyrid pbx or an IP pbx solution.