Akansha

HOSTED PRIVATE BRANCH EXCHANGE

INTRODUCTION

Hosted PBX is an example of SaaS (Software as a Service). Hosted PBX is a latest adjunct and sequel of Business VoIP. Rather than employing a PBX equipment at the workplace, Hosted PBX provides small and medium enterprises with the facilities of a PBX as a service. Hosted PBX enables the business enterprises to have a refined PBX system without investing in the concerned hardware. In a Hosted PBX system, the user depends on the Hosted PBX service provider. A Hosted PBX once deployed, facilitates the employees to work from anywhere on the globe. An employee having an access to a Hosted PBX system can work from his home or cafeteria or gymnasium while still being connected to the host server.

Hosted PBX system allows users to:

·         Transfer calls on multiple lines in various departments.

·         Call routing.

·         Take up conference calls.

·         Automatic call distribution.

·         Put the call on hold with music.

·         Connect the calls to specific extension.

CLASSIFICATION

Hosted PBX may be classified into the following types depending on the purpose of service:

·         Business Hosted PBX

·         Residential Hosted PBX

KEY COMPONENTS OF A HOSTED PBX SYSTEM

Hosted PBX system includes:

·         Clients

·         Replacement of Public Switched Telephone Network (P.S.T.N.) or a conventional PBX system by a complete full featured Hosted PBX system

·         Employees

BENEFITS OF HOSTED PBX SYSTEM

·         Cost saving and lesser capital requirements: Hosted PBX system allows the SMB’s to save money by preventing them from making investments to purchase expensive telephonic hardware. If there is no installation, there will be no maintenance. In case of a Hosted PBX system, the communication network is operated and maintained by the service provider itself. This allows the business firms to save their money.

·         Cutting of monthly expenses: The use of Hosted PBX lowers the monthly bills by providing affordable and reasonable call rates for both local as well as long distance calls.

·         Cost saving over traditional PBX: A Hosted PBX is more cost savy over the traditional PBX systems.

·         Virtual presence: Hosted PBX allows users to obtain local numbers of a city or a country in which they are not actually residing. This facilitates the users to make their presence felt to their customers or to open up a virtual office without being actually present there.

·         Improvised calling features: Hosted PBX enables the users to transfer their calls, voice messaging, voice conferencing, etc.

·         All round the globe accessibility: Hosted PBX allows the employees to work from anywhere on the globe. They can work from their office, home, gymnasium, etc.

·         Coherent dais: Hosted PBX allows multiple employees to work on a single platform enriched with numerous features.

·         Validity and integrity: Hosted PBX maintains the validity and integrity of a SMB presenting their customers with a professional telephonic conversation.

·         Choice of various options: Hosted PBX enables the users to make a choice among various options while selecting a desired one.

·         Scalability: Unlike the traditional PBX systems, Hosted PBX allows the SMBs to expand their virtual system as and when required.

·         User friendly: Hosted PBX is very easy to work with and can be operated by anyone without needing any specialized skills.

FEATURES OF HOSTED PBX

Hosted PBX has following features:

·         Economic as

·         No hardware is required.

·         No maintenance required.

·         Highly sophisticated and full of features.

·         Global work environment as

·         Can be worked from anywhere on the globe.

·         Supported by various gadgets like laptops, mobiles, desktops, smartphones.

·         Improved company’s image and internal connectivity as

·         Transfer of calls within the company.

·         Music while call is on hold.

·         Voice mailbox facility.