PBX and IP PBX

What is PBX?

PBX is actually an acronym for the term Private Branch Exchange. A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a telephone exchange that operates a local business or office’s telephony service. In other words, a PBX is the technical term for a phone system. A PBX is used to make connections among the internal telephones of a private organization. Utilizing a PBX a company can save considerable cost savings on internal phone calls. PBX systems handle the circuit switching locally reducing chargers for local phone service. Another advantage of utilizing a PBX phone system is that it allows a company to share trunk lines (external lines) for all its employees, maximizing usage of dedicated phone lines.

What is an IP PBX?

IP stands for Internet Protocol, a signal and data transfer technology that is used by your Local Area Network (LAN) and the internet. Typical IP PBX phone systems can switch calls between a VoIP user and a traditional telephone user, in the same way a traditional PBX system works. Replacing traditional PBX systems, IP PBX allows calls to be sent via data packets over a data network instead of the traditional phone network. The real advantage of an IP PBX or a VoIP PBX is that it utilizes a single network for both voice and data. With a IP PBX you would require a separate network for voice and data communications. This means that internet access and traditional voice communications are possible using a single line to each user.

What is VoIP?

VoIP (Voice over IP), in simple terms, is and IP telephony technology that allows voice calls to be transported over a network (such as your LAN or the Internet). VoIP provides the same sort of calling experience as you are use to with your landline at home or POTS lines at work, it’s just delivered differently as it uses IP (Internet Protocol) as the underlying transport mechanism for calls. By delivery voice information in digital form, voice communication can now be sent over the data network and no longer requires a dedicated voice network. While network utilization is a major cost savings, the main advantage of using VoIP with your PBX is that it avoids the tolls charged by the traditional telephone service.

What is hybrid-hosted PBX?

Hybrid-hosted is Fonality’s patent-pending architecture for our IP PBX solutions that give Fonality PBXtra and trixbox Pro the reliability and quality of a premise-based PBX system with the mobility and cost benefits of a hosted PBX. Like a hosted PBX system, hybrid-hosted PBX phone systems provide free VoIP calling, support for telecommuters and branch offices, system monitoring, automated configuration backups, and easy management. Yet, like a premise-based PBX, these systems are real assets that offer rock-solid PSTN connectivity, advanced features, and complete data privacy. Learn more about Fonality PBX phone systems.