Premise-based Internet Protocol Private Branch eXchange systems are replacing PBX (
News -
Alert) systems that were considered state-of-the-art business communications since about 1980.
Using Voice-over Internet Protocol technology, premise-based IP-PBX systems are cheaper and far more capable than their predecessors, and better at integrating into business networks and data communications.
They are also more powerful and less expensive than traditional PBX systems - but how do you know how to tell what you need from what somebody wants to sell you? How do you get the most value for your dollar?
A recent TMCnet
white paper provides a buyer’s guide examining the premise-based IP-PBX market and tells you what to look for when purchasing one.
The white paper also goes back and reviews the relative advantages and disadvantages of a premise-based approach to help determine if it's for you in the first place.
In addition, a useful checklist if you decide it is the direction you want to head in is included along with succinct summaries of the major features you should look at, and advantages of integrating your systems, something you may not be doing now but which could be an option with premise-based IP-PBX.
'The bottom line,' the
white paper finds, with premise-based IP-PBX systems is that they can 'provide a relatively easy way for businesses of any size to move to VoIP and get a wide range of new features and capabilities for their phone systems.'
The paper walks you through the new system, showing you where to invest resources to get the most value out of integrating its capabilities into existing business processes such as sales and CRM.
David Sims is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of David’s articles, please visit his columnist page. He also blogs for TMCnet here.Edited by
Stefania Viscusi
