Small business phone system has revolutionized the way of
communication between the business organizations and its
customers. In the pursuit business success, a business
telephone system plays a crucial role.

The technological advancement of telecommunication and
computing in some past few years is nothing short of
astounding. The technological advancement has resulted in the
decreased prices of services and products that were very
expensive just a few years ago. And this has prompted smaller
business organizations to avail the benefits of services and
features that were previously only available to larger
organizations.

Earlier it was the POT (Plain Old Telephone), which was the
only way of communication. But today the existing and new
customers are able to reach the business organizations through
different phone systems.

With the advent of the Internet, it was predicted that soon
all the telephones would be wiped out. But what happened was
exactly the opposite. The growth of online shopping generated
larger customer queries through telephone. This made the
telephone systems relevant and even today they are growing as
an important tool for communication, across the world. This is
because many people find telephones to be quicker and more
convenient than the Internet for inquiring about a particular
product or service. In many cases people like to deal with a
person rather than a machine!

The selection of an appropriate phone system and its
installation is one of the most important purchases that a
business organization makes. A good phone system plays an
important role in maintaining potential customers while a bad
system will repel them. The advanced features of the phone
system like auto attendant, ACD and voice mail are generally
expensive. But with the integration between the telecom and
computing technology, the prices of these technologies have
come down.

The phone systems that are developed for the small business
can be divided into three categories. These small business
phone systems are LAN, mini-PBX and Key systems. The
organizations that have installed LAN for the purpose of
connecting their computers can also use the same LAN, as the
tool for their office telephone system. The mini-PBX systems
are best suited for the business organizations that have 10 to
100 employees. The key systems allow customers to join corded
as well as cordless phones with the intercom system.

Now, the very criterion of deciding the rate of the cheapest
long distance call has changed. Earlier these calls were
charged on a per minute basis. However, nowadays the amount of
usage of the long distance phone system is more important than
the rate we pay for using it.

Low rate per minute for a long distance phone call with the
traditional telephone service is good enough, if you are not
making many long distance calls. One thing, which must be kept
in mind, is that your telephone company may charge you for
having the service of the long distance telephone calling on
your telephone line. Even if you do not use this facility, you
have to pay the fee. Some other hidden fees are PIC, monthly
fee, FCC, taxes, and surcharges.

Dial-around long distance telephone system is also referred
as 1010 numbers. Some dial-around service providers also offer
an access number of 800. The rate of the dial-around-long
distance phone system is a little higher than the rate you are
paying on your phone lines. However, there are not many hidden
charges in this system, except, maybe some hidden fee, taxes
and surcharges.

In comparison to the traditional and dial-around long
distance telephone services, the calling cards are the cheapest
alternative. Using calling cards, you can use any telephone to
make long distance phone calls at a very nominal rate. Calling
cards charge a set amount for each minute you use for long
distance calling. In case of moderation, the calling cards are
the good option for making the long distance calls.

Bundled telephone service can be an inexpensive service, if
you choose to make loads of long distance telephone calls and
chose unlimited long distance minutes as the calling plan. The
major drawback in case of the bundled phone service is that
there are many hidden fees. The hidden charges amount to the
20% of the total bills and sometimes it is more.

VoIP or broadband phone is the cheapest long distance
telephone service available. There are no hidden fees or taxes
or surcharges, in case of the broadband phone services, as the
broadband phone service uses the Internet in order to send and
receive the calls. Using the VoIP service, you can make
unlimited long distance and local calls for around 20 dollar
and there is only three percent of the excise tax over it.

1. KSU less system KSU less telephone system is required by
business organizations which do not have more than ten
employees or which do not need more than ten telephone
extensions. However, this does not mean that all business
organizations that need less than ten extensions can only make
use of a KSU less system. It may be possible that one requires
some extra features that are available only through a key phone
system or a PBX (Private branch exchange) system.

Compared to the other type of the business phone system, the
KSU less phone system requires lower investment. The KSU less
system is specifically designed to add different features that
are available only through the execution of a small business
telephone system.

It is easy to unplug and relocate the KSU less system as
they are temporarily wired into the office and are not
permanent. This portability of the system allows the person to
deal with the KSU less system like any business tool and not
like a permanent investment, which is hard to relocate.

However, one needs to ensure that any KSU less system opted
must be compatible, not only with the kind of wiring in the
office, but also with other accessories like modems, headsets,
fax and answering machines. As the KSU less system is
relatively cheaper, it is rarely installed, sold or maintained
by the telecom vendors. Hence, the major drawback of the KSU
less system is that one has to not only go out for buying it
but also need to support it and get it installed.

It must also be noted that all the business organizations
need to be careful about its maintenance and reliability.
Another drawback of the KSU less system is that it is more
prone to crosstalk, this means that the separate connections
may mix with one another.

2. PBX system

PBX systems are required when the business needs more than
40 extensions. It is required when one needs advanced functions
from the business telephone system. PBX systems are extremely
expensive and are only affordable by large corporations, which
have more than hundred extensions.

3. Key systems

Key systems are a very special type of business phone
systems. They are used in a business that needs four to forty
extensions. This type of the telephone system requires KSU to
provide functions and features that are absent in an ordinary
phone.

Having a telephone to answer calls or make calls yourself is
the most basic, next is the fax machine, another is the phone
for the internet line which is also basic these days. If your
business is expanding, well you need to expand your telephone
services also and incorporate a pbx phone system, answering
machine and an automated telephone operator. Some even go as
far as hiring a virtual telephone operator. Different strokes
for different folks.

Check what your business needs before you begin implementing
expensive office phone equipment. We have to be wise especially
these days when a dollar is so hard to earn and so easy to
spend and we know that we cannot do without the most basic of
office phone equipment. This is where the money come in.
Marketing and Customer Service go hand in hand with office
phone equipment. One cannot exist without the other. Well, it
can but if you want to make profit, you have to take care of
these two aspects of the business and this is where office
phone equipment come in.

There are ways by which you can save even when it comes to
these essential items in the office. This is the right thing to
do especially if you are just starting out or if you run a
small or home-based business. So you can consider to buy used
office phone systems or hire a virtual office phone service.
With the latter option, you can improve your telephone services
while reducing the expenses. With the former, you will be able
to get the units and the systems at a lower cost which means
savings for the company.

If you choose to get virtual office telephone services, you
can expect it to take the place of a receptionist or a
switchboard operator. You will be also be able to have backup
when it comes to answering the telephone for your business
twenty-four hours per day, 7 days per week. Just like any other
telephone service, you can expect to get automated attendant
technology which just means that you have live operator
answering your calls, using your company’s name , etc.

Since there are a lot of companies that offer the service,
it is best to read up and to be able to get the value for your
money, it is always best to compare phone services from all
providers in your area. So you will know exactly what kind of
services are included in their package and which ones fit your
budget.

A good office telephone system will help you to be in
constant touch with employees and customers all the times.

Office telephone systems provide features like call
forwarding and voice mail. This system enables you to manage
all the calls related to the different departments. The multi
line telephone system enables the customers to call more than
two lines at the same time. It also offers a very important
feature called speed dialing that enables you to dial the
numbers instantly. This feature of speed dialing enhances the
effectiveness of the office telephone system.

Telephone systems are very important communication
instruments, which connect business with investors, suppliers,
customers and others. With the help of the telephone, it is
quite easy to get connected to the different people associated
with different departments. It is difficult to find a suitable
office telephone system. The selection of a suitable office
telephone system is based on the total number of the staff in a
business organization.

A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) telephone system is the best
solution for a business organization that requires more than
forty extensions for its employees. The PBX system offers
advanced communication with several other functions. For small
business companies, the PBX telephone system offers small
packages. The PBX systems are available at affordable
rates.

The cost of the office telephone system depends on the
package of communication that is being offered along with the
system. The telephone system provides flexible characteristics
as compared to other communication packages. Many telephone
systems offer auto attendant characteristic, which is meant for
recording voices of various callers. This feature is important
for large business organizations that receive large number of
phone calls.

There are different kinds of office telephone systems. You
can find them easily on the Internet. It is advisable to
determine the requirements of your business organization before
purchasing an office telephone system. There are many suppliers
that provide these services through the Internet. You can also
consult different suppliers with regard to your requirements in
order to get the best office telephone system services.

It has become one of the major means of communication today.
Various business organizations are also adopting VOIP solutions
today. So, a number of business IP telephony solutions are
available in the market – and at a reasonable price!

The Technology

VOIP converts voice information into digital packets and
sends them over the Internet. It then converts it back into
analog signals, before they reach the receiver. A phone is
fitted to an adopter, which is then connected to an Internet
connection of high speed. A call is then transferred through a
local telephone company to a provider of VOIP and then via the
Internet connection it is received by the person on the
telephone.

For this, IP Telephony uses a packet- switching protocol
which helps to transmit signals of voice over lines of
broadband. In the conventional networks, circuit switching was
used. This packet switching in business IP telephony allows
free telephone calls, which can be made through Internet
anywhere throughout the world. This substantially cuts down the
telephone call costs. Internet connection is the only cost that
the user has to bear in this type of call transmission.

The Scope

IP telephony has become a revolution in the field of
communication, and has come with the approach of becoming the
next big thing in the field of business. Statistics have proved
that the number of users of Business IP telephony has increased
to over 34 million in the year 2006.

Analysts predict that if IP telephony is used with services
of unified messaging, inclusive of faxes, voice mail, pages and
email, the market will be propelled to incredible heights. They
also predict that that by the year 2009, a little over 155
million businesses will be operating through IP endpoints, and
more than 37 percent of these would be wireless. It is also
predicted that by the end of 2009, about 73 percent of the
users will use a wireless handset. Also, the business of IP
Telephony is expected to raise up to 33 billion dollars by the
end of 2010.

All in all I would say that using business IP telephony
solutions has become an indispensable need of businesses today.
It is a must have in tool for businesses to access excellent
data and voice coverage, thereby saving on costs and
communicating better than the traditional local telephones.

The office telephone systems will allow their users to use
similar external phone lines and not individual phones. They
are designed for multiple phone users who are at a single
particular location. These office telephone services help in
saving money as they are very cost effective in comparison to
the other telephone systems.

PBX phone system The PBX (private branch
exchange) phone systems are systems that are specifically
created from the business point of view. The PBX system is
designed to build a network between all the users who exchange
the external phone lines. The PBX system is more suitable for
medium and small size business organizations or companies.
These phone systems are very cost effective as they allow the
few external lines to be shared by the all the users, rather
than all the individuals using their own individual lines.

Using a PBX system, it has become easy to reach anyone
within the telephone system by just dialing three or four digit
extension numbers. There are also some additional features in
the PBX system including, reminders, voicemail along with
forwarding option, screen call options and screen display
options. The PBX office system is also capable of greeting and
answering clients with auto-generated messages. There is an
option for live call transfers in the system as well.

Automated attendant The automated attendant
is a telephone system accessory. It can answer telephone calls
by creating an automatic message electronically. The automated
attendant prompts the caller to route through series of menu.
Also the voice mail system is associated with the automated
attendant system. An automated call distributor (ACD), a
telephone system accessory helps to route all the incoming
calls from a set of extensions and efficiently handles them.
The ACD is mainly used in inquiry offices or call centers,
where ACD can process different incoming calls
simultaneously.

Computer Telephone Integration The
application of computer telephony integration (CTI) is very
broad. It is used to connect phone system with computer. With
the help of the CTI it is easy to retrieve data from the
incoming calls and reprocess them for business purpose.

KSU-Key system unit There is another
important office telephone service called KSU-Key system unit.
It contains features like voice mail, extension dialing and
call forwarding. The VoIP system helps users to put the voice
information in digital format with the help of the Internet.
So, now you can use this information pack on office telephone
services, to get the best communication facility at your office
place.

A PBX system is different from a Telephone Company or a
common exchange that offers services to many business
organizations or the general public. PBXs are also termed as
PABX and EPABX. PABX termed as private automatic branch
exchange, while EPABX is referred as electronic private
automatic branch exchange.

A small business PBX operates as a telephone connection
point for an individual organization. The PBX system controls
the calls between the different extensions and the connection
of PSTN through trunk lines. The term extension is referred to
any end point at the branch, as they incorporate fax machines,
telephones, modems and many more.

Unlike key systems, which have to select outgoing calls
manually, the PBXs select outgoing calls automatically. The
hybrid systems connect the features of both the systems. The
PBXs are advantageous as they are very cost effective. They
control the circuit switching and lower the charges for phone
services. With the further development in the technology the
PBX system has also started offering services that were not
available in the network earlier, such as, call forwarding,
extension dialing and hunt groups.

During 1990s two important developments led to the emergence
of new kinds of the PBX systems. One was marked with the rapid
development of the data networks and packet switching.
Different companies used packet switching for making telephone
calls. It was very tempting and further development of the
Internet made this form of communication even more attractive.
All these factors helped in the development of voice over IP
PBX.

Another development gave rise to the concept of the hosted
PBX. In this form of the PBX system, PBX was managed and
located by the phone service provider. In this case, the calls
and other features are transferred through Internet. Now with
the help of this system customers can sign for the services
rather than purchasing and maintaining the expensive
hardware.

The 9 key components of the small business PBX are:

1. Internal network for switching

2. CPU

3. Power cards, logic cards, controls and switching
cards

4. Telephone sets

5. Telco trunks for delivering signals to PBX

6. Switchboard or console for maintaining incoming calls

7. UPS, batteries and power switches

8. Interconnecting wiring

9. Closets, cabinets and vaults

The small business PBX system establishes connections
between the phone sets of the two users. The system maintains
the connections as per the requirement of the user and provides
information related to the metering calls.

It is a system that simply imitates the functioning of an
answering machine and uses a standard handset of telephone, for
the interface of the user. It uses a centralized computer
system.

Gordon Matthews, the inventor of voice messaging, must never
have anticipated that this voice messaging automated system
would become so popular with businesses and would be used
extensively to answer calls of customers and clients all over
the globe.

The modern day business voice messaging systems are much
more sophisticated than a normal answering machine. It has many
extra features such as:

* The business voice messaging system can answer a number of
phone calls at the same time.

* It creates personalized mailboxes to store incoming
messages that are associated with the phone number of the
user.

* It can help the user to send messages to one or more than
one, voice mailboxes of other users.

* The system enables the user to forward the messages he has
received, to any other voice mailbox.

* The business voice messaging method also adds an
introduction in voice, to the messages that have been
forwarded.

* The system also stores the voice messages for delivery in
future.

* It automatically calls users paging service or telephone,
so as send a message to notify him that a new message has
entered his mailbox.

* The business voice mail system also transfers calls, to
some other phone number, for personal assistance.

* The system also has an additional feature of playing
different messages for greeting different callers.

Voice messaging for businesses has become more like a
necessity for the daily working of any trade, as businesses
require that the calls of their customers and clients be
answered immediately. However, this method sometimes irritates
the customers, as they do not appreciate being put on hold,
through a long line of automated steps, to get their message
through. Also, when the customers are trying to reach a
customer service agent and have to face this automated service,
they feels helpless and agitated. The system also often
antagonizes customers further, by using automated voice
messages to call them.

However, the Business voice messaging has solved many
problems of business communication. It enabled the people to
leave detailed, lengthy and secure messages in their own voice,
with the messaging service of the company. Thus, the flow of
communication was improved by the adoption of the Business
voice messaging system. This method was also able to save large
amounts of money for the companies.