A cloud PBX is a hosted corporate telephone exchange provided to a company as a cloud service. Another name is virtual PBX. A virtual PBX has a number of undoubted advantages – first of all, there is no need to install, configure and maintain PBX by the company.
Cloud PBXs, just like locally hosted ones, allow you to take advantage of all the modern advantages of telephony – voice mail, faxes, automatic voice menus, conferences, and other unified communications functions.
A cloud PBX can operate as a soft switch for conventional public switched telephone lines (PSTN), as a soft switch for voice over IP (VoIP), or as a switch for a hybrid network consisting of VoIP and PSTN lines.
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Why do you need a Cloud PBX?
ATS is an automatic telephone exchange. It is necessary to connect the telephone lines of an office, home, enterprise into one network. A virtual PBX means that it is hosted on the operator’s servers (in the cloud), and you do not need to install and maintain it yourself, or pay for the electricity it consumes.
How is a cloud PBX different from a regular (hardware) PBX?
Cloud PBX does not require the installation of equipment in the office, so the company does not bear the cost of purchasing and maintaining expensive equipment. There is no need to connect telephony for every remote office or branch office. Cloud PBX allows you to combine all branches into one network.
How is a cloud PBX different from a hardware IP PBX?
A hardware IP-PBX is a device located directly in the office. Cloud PBX is an online service hosted on the servers of a telecom operator. Cloud PBX does not require the purchase and placement of special equipment. In most cases, the functionality of a cloud PBX is superior to that of a hardware PBX.
How is a cloud PBX different from a software IP PBX?
The software IP-PBX code is deployed directly on the servers of the client company. At the same time, the server maintenance is undertaken by the technical specialists of the client company and this maintenance requires additional costs.
The cloud PBX is deployed on remote servers of the telecom operator, while the service of the servers and updating the program code are carried out by the operator’s technical specialists.
What are IP Phones?
IP phones are telephones that allow you to make phone calls using VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology.
There are two types of IP phones. The first is a hardware IP phone that resembles a regular telephone, but accepts and makes calls over the Internet. The second is a software application. It allows you to use any computer as a telephone using a telephone headset and microphone.
Cloud PBX – the main advantages
- Low initial setup and maintenance costs. The cost of installing the system is minimal, since you do not need to purchase a full license and a physical server. The cost of support is also low, since you do not need to hire or invite a specialist to maintain the PBX server.
- Not limited by the size of the office. Employees can connect to the system from anywhere. A great solution for home-based colleagues, branch offices, and visiting salespeople.
- Impressing customers. Using cloud PBX services, small companies can provide professional telephone service at the level of large corporations.
- Scalability. Virtual PBX allows for smooth expansion (adding external and internal lines) as your business grows.
- Ease of operation. Since the company does not need to independently deal with the maintenance of the PBX, in general, it is easier to use a virtual PBX than to use your own.
