Friday, November 18, 2016

PBX : Private Branch Exchange

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A private branch exchange (PBX) is a telephone exchange or switching system that serves a private organization and performs concentration of central office lines or trunks and provides intercommunication between a large number of telephone stations in the organization. 

The central office lines provide connections to the public switched telephone networkand the concentration aspect of a PBX permits the shared use of these lines between all stations in the organization. 

The intercommunication aspect allows two or more stations to establish telephone or conferencing calls between them without using the central office equipment.

Each PBX-connected station, such as a telephone set, a fax machine, or a computer modem, is often referred to as an extension and has a designated extension telephone number that may or may not be mapped automatically to the numbering plan of the central office and the telephone number block allocated to the PBX.

Initially, PBX systems offered the primary advantage of cost savings for internal phone calls: handling the circuit switching locally reduced charges for telephone service via central-office lines. 

As PBX systems gained popularity, they began to feature services not available in the public network, such as hunt groups, call forwarding, and extension dialing. From the 1960s a simulated PBX known as Centrex provided similar features from the central telephone exchange.

A PBX differs from a key telephone system (KTS) in that users of a key system manually select their own outgoing lines on special telephone sets that control buttons for this purpose, while PBXs select the outgoing line automatically or, formerly, by an operator. 

The telephone sets connected to a PBX do not normally have special keys for central-office line control, but it is not uncommon for key systems to be connected to a PBX to extend its services.

A PBX, in contrast to a key system, employs an organizational numbering plan for its stations. In addition, a dial plan determines whether additional digit sequences must be prefixed when dialing to obtain access to a central-office trunk. 

Modern number-analysis systems permit users to dial internal and external telephone numbers without special codes to distinguish the intended destination.

History

The term PBX originated when switchboard operators managed company switchboards manually using cord circuits. 

As automated electromechanical switches and later electronic switching systems gradually replaced the manual systems, the terms private automatic branch exchange (PABX) and private manual branch exchange (PMBX) differentiated them. 

Solid-state digital systems were sometimes referred to as electronic private automatic branch exchanges (EPABX). 

As of 2016, the term PBX is by far the most widely recognized.[citation needed] The acronym now applies to all types of complex, in-house telephony switching systems.

Two significant developments during the 1990s led to new types of PBX systems. 

One was the massive growth of data networks and increased public understanding of packet switching. 

Companies needed packet-switched networks for data, so using them for telephone calls proved tempting, and the availability of the Internet as a global delivery-system made packet-switched communications even more attractive. 

These factors led to the development of the voice over IP PBX, or IP-PBX.

The other trend involved the idea of focusing on core competence. 

PBX services had always been hard to arrange for smaller companies, and many companies realized that handling their own telephony was not their core competence. 

These considerations gave rise to the concept of the hosted PBX. In wireline telephony, the original hosted PBX was the Centrex service provided by telcos since the 1960s; later competitive offerings evolved into the modern competitive local exchange carrier. 

In voice over IP, hosted solutions are easier to implement as the PBX may be located at and managed by any telephone service provider, connecting to the individual extensions via the Internet. 

The upstream provider no longer needs to run direct, local leased lines to the served premises.

Hybrid Key Telephone System

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Nortel T Series Key System Telephone
Nortel T Series Key System Telephone

Into the 21st century, the distinction between key systems and PBX systems has become increasingly blurred. Early electronic key systems used dedicated handsets which displayed and allowed access to all connected PSTN lines and stations.

The modern key system now supports SIP, ISDN, analog handsets (in addition to its own proprietary handsets - usually digital) as well as a raft of features more traditionally found on larger PBX systems. 

Their support for both analog and digital signaling, and of some PBX functionality gives rise to the hybrid designation.

A hybrid system typically has some call appearance buttons that directly correspond to individual lines and/or stations, but may also support direct dialing to extensions or outside lines without selecting a line appearance.

The modern key system is usually fully digital, although analog variants persist and some systems implement VOIP services. 

Effectively, the aspects that distinguish a PBX from a hybrid key system are the amount, scope and complexity of the features and facilities offered.

Hybrid systems are a common tool in the financial services industry used on trading floors. 

These advanced hybrid key systems generally only require attached PBXs for interaction with back-office staff and voicemail. 

These systems commonly have their front end units referred to as Turrets and are notable for their presentation of hoot-n-holler circuits. 

Multiple Hoots are presented to multiple users over multiplexed speakers to multiple locations.

Key Telephone System

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Key telephone systems are primarily defined by arrangements with individual line selection buttons for each available telephone line. The earliest systems were known as wiring plans and simply consisted of telephone sets, keys, lamps, and wiring.

Key was a Bell System term of art for a customer-controlled switching system such as the line-buttons on the phones associated with such systems.

The wiring plans evolved into modular hardware building blocks with a variety of functionality and services in the 1A key telephone system developed in the Bell System in the 1930s.

Key systems can be built using three principal architectures: electromechanical shared-control, electronic shared-control, or independent key sets.

New installations of key telephone systems have become less common, as hybrid systems and private branch exchanges of comparable size have similar cost and greater functionality.

Electromechanical shared-control key system


The systems marketed in North America as the 1A, 6A, 1A1 and the 1A2 Key System are typical examples and sold for many decades. The 1A family of Western Electric Company (WECo) key telephone units (KTUs) were introduced in the late 1930s and remained in use to the 1950s. 

1A equipment was primitive and required at least two KTUs per line; one for line termination and one for station (telephone instrument) termination. 

The telephone instrument commonly used by 1A systems was the WECo 300-series telephone. Introduced in 1953, 1A1 key systems simplified wiring with a single KTU for both line and station termination, and increased the features available.

As the 1A1 systems became commonplace, requirements for intercom features grew. 

The original intercom KTUs, WECo Model 207, were wired for a single talk link, that is, a single conversation on the intercom at a time. The WECo 6A dial intercom system provided two talk links and was often installed as the dial intercom in a 1A1 or 1A2 key system. 

The 6A systems were complex, troublesome and expensive, and never became popular. 

The advent of 1A2 technology in the 1964 simplified key system set up and maintenance. 

These continued to be used throughout the 1980s, when the arrival of electronic key systems with their easier installation and greater features signaled the end of electromechanical key systems.

Before the advent of large-scale integrated circuits, key systems were typically composed of electromechanical components (relays) as were larger telephone switching systems.

Two lesser-known key systems were used at airports for air traffic control communications, the 102 and 302 key systems. 

These were uniquely designed for communications between the air traffic control tower and radar approach control (RAPCON) or ground control approach (GCA), and included radio line connections.

Automatic Electric Company also produced a family of key telephone equipment, some of it compatible with Western Electric equipment, but it did not gain the widespread use enjoyed by Western Electric equipment.

Electronic shared-control system

With the advent of LSI ICs, the same architecture could be implemented much less expensively than was possible using relays. In addition, it was possible to eliminate the many-wire cabling and replace it with much simpler cable similar to (or even identical to) that used by non-key systems. 

Electronic shared-control systems led quickly to the modern hybrid telephone system, as the features of PBX and key system quickly merged. One of the most recognized such systems is the AT&T Merlin.

  • Additionally, these more modern systems allowed a diverse set of features including:
  • Answering machine functions
  • Automatic call accounting
  • Call Forward
  • Call Transfer
  • Remote supervision of the entire system
  • Selection of signaling sounds
  • Speed dialing
  • Station-specific limitations (such as no long distance access or no paging)

Features could be added or modified simply using software, allowing easy customization of these systems. 

The stations were easier to maintain than the previous electromechanical key systems, as they used efficient LEDs instead of incandescent light bulbs for line status indication.

LSI also allowed smaller systems to distribute the control (and features) into individual telephone sets that don't require any single shared control unit. 

Generally, these systems are used with a relatively few telephone sets and it is often more difficult to keep the feature set (such as speed-dialing numbers) in synchrony between the various sets.

Introduction Of Business Telephone System

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A business telephone system is a multiline telephone system typically used in business environments, encompassing systems ranging from small key telephone systems to large-scale private branch exchanges.

A business telephone system differs from an installation of several telephones with multiple central office (CO) lines in that the CO lines used are directly controllable in key telephone systems from multiple telephone stations, and that such a system often provides additional features related to call handling. 

Business telephone systems are often broadly classified into key telephone systems, and private branch exchanges, but many hybrid systems exist.

A key telephone system was originally distinguished from a private branch exchange (PBX) in that it did not require an operator or attendant at the switchboard to establish connections between the central office trunks and stations, or between stations. 

Technologically, private branch exchanges share lineage with central office telephone systems, and in larger or more complex systems, may rival a central office system in capacity and features. 

With a key telephone system, a station user could control the connections directly using line buttons, which indicated the status of lines with built-in lamps.

Cisco : The Basics Small Business PBX

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Small business PBX phone systems today are increasingly more sophisticated. Here's a quick comparison of a conventional small business PBX system and a Unified Communications system that combines an Internet Protocol (IP) PBX and other features.

A Conventional Small Business PBX


Traditionally, a small business PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is a telephone switching system that manages incoming and outgoing calls for a company's internal users. A PBX is connected to the public phone system and automatically routes incoming calls to specific extensions. It also shares and manages multiple lines. A typical small business PBX system includes external and internal phone lines; a computer server that manages call switching and routing; and a console for manual control.

IP-Based Small Business PBX


An IP PBX can do everything a traditional small business PBX can do and more. It performs the switching and connecting of Voice over IP as well as landline calls.

A conventional PBX requires two networks, one for data and another for voice. An IP PBX system runs on an IP data network, which saves costs and minimizes network management.

You can use IP phones, softphones (which don't require any phone hardware beyond a computer and a microphone headset), and landline phones on an IP PBX phone system.

Unified Communications: IP PBX and More


Small businesses require specialized features to support their particular workflows. Unified Communications Manager Express from Cisco Systems is designed specifically for small businesses. It combines an IP PBX with robust telephony features that traditional phone systems can't deliver.

Unified Communications Manager Express is affordable, reliable, full-featured, and easy to deploy, administer, and maintain. It helps small businesses dramatically reduce communications and network management costs, enhance collaboration, improve productivity, and more.

Learn more about Cisco Unified Communications Manager Express.
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Fortinet : Phone systems for Small and Medium Businesses

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Unbeatable Value

Great systems, great value - compare the cost of FortiVoice to other systems and you'll see. But it's more than just our low cost of ownership. FortiVoice phone systems can also save your business money with fast ROI.

Streamlined Voice Features

Voicemail, auto attendants, dial-by-name directory, ring groups. And much more. FortiVoice comes complete with everything a business needs without expensive, overengineered frills.
VoIP, traditional and digital phone lines

Need Voice over IP? Multi-location integration? PRI connections? No problem. FortiVoice models handle VoIP and the traditional telephone network. With a FortiVoice system, you connect the way you choose. FortiVoice phone systems deliver the best of both worlds in one easy-to-use phone system.

Connect Anywhere

Your work doesn't stop at the walls of your office. Neither does FortiVoice. With Connect Anywhere extensions,you can add your cell phones or any other telephones, anywhere, as extensions of your system. FortiVoice uniquely connects your mobile and teleworkers.

Nextiva Review: Best Business Phone System for Call Centers

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After conducting extensive research and analysis of business phone systems, we recommend Nextiva as the best business phone system for call centers.

Why Nextiva?


Nextiva is easy to configure and use, and provides all of the tools necessary to run a complete and professional call center.
Ease of Use

Nextiva is a cloud-based Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone system that doesn't require any complex on-premises hardware or wiring. All that's needed are high-speed Internet access and special IP phones.

What makes it such an attractive option is that rather than having to purchase two separate phone systems — one for your call center and one for the rest of your business — the Nextiva system is able to handle it all. In essence, the call center plan is a service that is tacked onto the company's general office phone service. This gives you the option of not having to purchase the call center tools for all of your employees. Instead, you only need to buy the extra features for the employees who are part of the call center team. Some of the other systems we looked into didn't offer this level of customization.

You control the system through Nextiva's online portal, which is divided into several sections: account setup, services, usage and billing. In the online portal you can add employees into the system, assign them phone numbers and users IDs, record automated greetings and create call queue routes and priorities. This is also where you assign which features each employee has access to, something we found very appealing. This makes adding or subtracting employees from the call center team very easy.


When launching the call center service, Nextiva provides a dedicated onboarding technician that personally assists you with your system setup and answers all your questions. While the regular phone system is pretty straightforward, the call center features are a bit more complex, so we like that you don't have to teach yourself everything there is to know. This added personal attention isn't something all of Nextiva's competitors offered. [See Related Story: VoIP for Business: Why It Makes Sense]

If you buy phones from Nextiva, they come preconfigured and ready to use upon arrival. If you have your own phones, or would rather buy from another vendor, you can configure them in just four steps. We like that there is no lengthy setup period. It can all be done quickly and easily, without the assistance of a specialized IT staff.

Reliability


What makes Nextiva so appealing to businesses with a call center is its reliability. Nextiva had the highest reported uptime over the last year (99.999 percent) that we found during our analysis of business phone systems. That means that systemwide, among its 20 million users, phone connectivity was down for less than a handful of minutes. The last time Nextiva had a systemwide outage was a year and a half ago.

The company takes several steps to help ensure its systems are always up and running, including working off of multiple servers. Instead of having just one or two servers that store all of its customers' data, Nextiva operates six. So if one server goes down, the data is just rolled over to one of the other five. In addition, should one server need to be repaired, the company is able to transfer that data to one of the other servers so your phone service is never interrupted.

We also were impressed with the HD voice quality feature the system uses. This makes for crystal-clear calls by eliminating all static and service degradation. This feature, which many other providers don't offer, makes it seem like you are in the same room as the person on the other end of the line.
Cost

Nextiva's pricing structure of only having to purchase call center services for your call center team helps make it such an attractive option.

Since the cloud-based system doesn't require PBX hardware, the only costs you incur with Nextiva are monthly service fees. These fees are broken up into two parts: the general office phone services and the call center services. While Nextiva does offer three different office phone system plans, the one a business with a call center needs is the most robust option — the Office Enterprise plan. The service is $39.95 per month for between five and 19 employees and $34.99 for between 20 and 99 users. However, those prices drop by $2 per employee if you're willing to sign a 3-year contract.

Included in those costs are all of Nextiva's business phone system features, such as unlimited local and long-distance calling, toll-free numbers, online faxing, conference calling, voicemail, an auto-attendant and a mobile app that gives employees full access to the phone system while out of the office. The only feature that costs extra is a voicemail-to-text option, which is $2.95 per line.

The second part of the monthly service fee is for the call center plan, which only needs to be purchased for the staff members who are working in the call center. While typically this costs an extra $100 a month, each time we called to inquire on the pricing the sales agents we spoke with said they would give it to us for $50 per month, per employee. It is important to remember, however, that the costs of the call center plan are in addition to the general office plan.

The call center plan includes all of the features needed to run an effective call center, such as an agent status display, automatic call distribution, call queues and call monitoring. One add-on tool businesses may find useful is the supervisor dashboard, which is $70 per month. This allows those in charge to run call reports on their employees so they can see how many calls each is making, how long the calls are, etc.

To sweeten the deal, the company periodically offers promotions, such as free phones, 50 percent off your second bill, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Features


When it comes to features, Nextiva has everything you would need in both an office and call center phone system. We like that between the two plans, you have access to nearly any and every feature that you could think of. Some of the impressive features that are available to all users, not just those on the call center team, include unlimited online faxing, an auto-attendant, conference calling for up to nine employees, and the option to receive voicemails via email and text messages.

The Nextiva mobile app is also very valuable. It allows you to make and receive phone calls on your business line, make video calls, instant message with co-workers, access your company directory and update and modify call settings, including the do-not-disturb, advanced-call forwarding, and simultaneous ring options.

For members of the call center team, there is a set of additional impressive features that are designed to help improve both the caller experience and the job of those answering the calls. The call center plan includes an advanced interactive voice- response (IVR) system that not only quickly directs callers to the right agent, but also plays greetings, music, advertisements and periodic comfort announcements to callers on hold.

Among the other more valuable call center features are the ability to record calls for monitoring and training purposes, and silent monitoring and call-barging, which allows supervisors to silently listen in on an agent's call and "barge in" if needed for quality or training purposes.

One feature we really like is the remote agent support. This allows you to set up phone service for agents who aren't located in the office. With this, remote employees can make and receive calls from anywhere, as well as manage those calls just like in-office employees can. We like that with this option, even a call center business can institute work-from-home programs.

The complexity and range of Nextiva's features surpass those of all of its rivals.

Customer Service


Of the providers we examined, few offered us better customer service than Nextiva. To determine the level of support that a typical customer would receive, we called the company multiple times posing as a new business owner interested in phone systems.

During our first call, the Nextiva representative we spoke with could not have provided a clearer understanding of what the company had to offer. He spent nearly an hour on the phone with us, which was substantially longer than every other provider we talked to, answering our questions and outlining every aspect of the phone system. When possible, he even took the time to demonstrate the different features. For example, he toggled back and forth between a regular connection and an HD connection to show us how much clearer it was and put us on hold so we could hear the on-hold music and announcements.

During subsequent calls we found the same high level of service. During those calls we spent time discussing how the system worked, its reliability measures, how the regular phone system differed from the call center system and all of the features included.

During each of our calls we received detailed price quotes from the representative. They explained how the pricing structure worked and how the prices quoted would increase or decrease based on staffing levels. We were impressed with how upfront Nextiva was with its pricing. Many of the other providers we spoke weren't as straightforward with their costs.

We especially liked that the representatives didn't spend time trying to pressure us into making a quick decision on purchasing the service. They were much more respectful of our needs and timelines than many of the other services we investigated.

In addition to phone support, we also tested out the live-chat option, which was just as helpful. When we had quick questions, we sent them along and they were answered within seconds. Many of the other providers we looked into didn't offer this support option, or weren't nearly as responsive with it as Nextiva was.

For users who need help, the entire support team is U.S.-based and available via phone, email and live chat between 5 a.m. and 6 p.m. (Mountain Time Zone) Monday through Friday and Saturdays between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Limitations


The price of the call center service could be a problem for some businesses. Although the costs of the general office phone service is on a par with many other providers, the added call center features can be quite expensive, especially if you're not offered the 50 percent off discount like we were. While it wasn't the most expensive service we found, it also wasn't the cheapest. However, those who offered a cheaper system didn't give us the same level of comfort in regards to its reliability and level of service.

Another downside of the service is that customer support isn't offered at all on Sundays or at night. Some of the other providers we examined offered users a way to reach their customer support team, such as via live chat, around the clock.

We chose Nextiva from a pool of the dozens of business phone systems we considered. To read our full methodology and for a more comprehensive list of phone systems, visit our best picks page here.
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