IP PBX business phone system to the core

While making a call to some of the companies, you must have noticed that they afford to answer your call even at late night and wee hours and the best part is that you will never hear them giving you a “busy tone”. To you, and to the other end users; this version of PBX is essentially the same. But, under the cover there is a big difference although. The company you are calling has invested in an innovative business communication system i.e. the hosted IP PBX system.
The heart of an IP PBX based telephony system is an IP PBX server which works somewhat like a proxy server. IP PBX technology uses a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) to avail the better routing facility for all the VOIP packets (i.e. both data and voice). For its convenience, the server maintains a database of all the VOIP clients in which the clients have to register their SIP addresses. The VOIP clients might be using “soft phone software installed on a computer” or “hard phone devices” itself.

When a user places a call, the IP PBX server checks whether it is an internal or external call. If it is an internal call, the server checks the database entry and routes it to the SIP address of the targeted phone number for whom the call is meant. The External calls are routed to VOIP gateway. The company may have its own IP gateway incorporated into the system, or it may be using the gateway of a Hosted IP PBX service provider. The purpose of the gateway is to link an IP system with the traditional analog telephone line or the digital ISDN lines.

An IP gateway device can be a dedicated appliance or an expansion card in the server. Like other gateway devices, it has two or more ports to allow it to span multiple networks, where each may have a different type of connections and size. In case of an IP, one port connects to the IP network and another one to the analog phone network.

What extra does an IP PBX offer?

Along with the cost savings of all other VOIP based systems, an IP PBX user can get some added features and benefits that don’t normally come with a traditional PBX system. Although, some PBX systems support caller ID facility, three-way calling, call forwarding and diverting, voice mail and similar features but few business phone users all of these features for granted. The thing which sets IP-based system apart is that the voice mail messages of users can be forwarded to their e-mail inboxes in text form along with an MP3 voice recording. So, they not only get instant notification that a call has come in, but can also play the recording attached along from their computer or handheld devices.

Some other automated advanced features are available as well. An intelligent blend of all these aspects can be set up to route calls differently, depending on the caller ID information of each caller. Thus, a user can have the calls from his superiors forwarded directly to his cell phone; while sale or publicity calls to automatically go to voice mail; to be checked when one finds free time.

The businesses also find the boon of 24x7 monitoring in IP PBX systems which proves useful in tracking the performance information like the Quality of Service (QoS) and detect security breaches, if any so as to correct the without hampering the work of the user.

The benefits of an IP PBX are countless and having such a business phone solution to your firm can prove to be your most appropriate decision for times to come.