This is part of a series of posts from our newest whitepaper on IP PBX System.
Click here to view all posts in series.
A Bicom Systems Whitepaper examining On-Site and Hosted IP PBX Systems
November 2012
www.bicomsystems.com
PART ONE
INTRODUCTION
As the IP PBX market has evolved in the past ten years, it has grown to include more ‘virtual’, ‘internet-based’, and ‘in the cloud’ solutions. IP PBX support infrastructure has become increasingly reliable and hosted options have become a real option. Today, more than ever before, end users are able to choose the exact features and services they want at an afforded price.
In the past, hosted solutions were typically limited to Centrex – they were based on a central system that was controlled by the local incumbent service provider. Remote extensions or branch offices had to be linked to the central system by the service provider using their copper lines. However, IPPBX systems based on VoIP and using Internet as the transport have caused a paradigm shift in the telecommunications industry both on-site and hosted.
The following paragraphs will outline the different types of IP PBX systems available for end users today and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of each. While hosted systems are a new and exciting option with many advantages, there still remains a significant need for onsite systems. Given the increasingly varied end user setups, requirements, and often unique requests, any solutions provider needs to be able to offer all possibilities if they are to remain in business; you simply do not know what your next customer will want.
Other posts in this series:
Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: IP PBX System Options
Part 3: Example Scenarios
Part 4: Selling an IP PBX System
Part 5: Conclusion