18 May 2007

Telephone technology is changing so rapidly and so radically that some infrastructure and equipment is clearly headed toward obsolescence. Part 2 of this 3 part series on choosing a business phone system focuses on current business solutions and emerging technologies.

Finding the “best fit” phone system has been linked to several key factors. Number of employees, types of activity, features needed, and perhaps more importantly, how those factors are anticipated to change over time all should be considered in your research.

Standard phone system technologies

The Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) is the familiar network of poles and lines that has provided the physical infrastructure for telephone communications for the last century. It supports circuit-switched technology, found in traditional phone systems such as PBX (Private Branch Exchange), keyed systems, and KSU-less systems.

PBX

A PBX system is a company owned switching system. A trunk line of multiple phone lines coming from the central telephone company connects into the company’s PBX. The PBX includes a computer which manages all calls into, out of, and within the company’s network of phones. A well-known feature of PBX has been in-house 4–digit extension dialing. This system eliminates the need for separate lines going to each extension, representing significant savings, particularly for businesses with 40 or more employees.

Keyed systems

Keyed systems are multi-line telephone systems best suited for businesses of 5 - 40 employees. Keyed systems typically have selection buttons for each phone line within the system and are known for their system expandability. At one time, keyed systems were more distinct from PBX systems. Frequently now, the only aspects that separate the two are the number and complexity of the features.

KSU-less systems

Appropriate for companies with 10 or fewer employees, the KSU-less systems are designed to provide many of the features of a small business phone system in a decentralized manner. In a KSU-less system, the phones themselves contain the technology necessary for communication with each other, without need for a central switching station.

KSU-less systems do not require additional hard-wiring, allowing equipment to be easily unplugged and relocated or sold. The benefits of greater mobility, ease in upgrade, and lower initial investment are tremendous.

VoIP technologies

Three variations of VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) technology currently exist for placing calls: ATA, IP Phones, and Computer-to-Computer.

• An ATA (analog telephone adaptor) is a plug-in device which connects a traditional phone to a computer. It converts the regular (analog) signal from the phone into digital data and sends it over the internet. Providers will often include an adaptor with a service subscription.

• IP (Internet Phone) phones look like regular phones, but have an Ethernet connector which connects them directly to your router. Everything necessary for making calls is self-contained in the phone itself. Wi-fi phones also require a subscription, but can be used without a physical connection, utilizing any wi-fi “hot spot”.

• Computer-to-Computer VoIP is easy and inexpensive. It usually requires only a download of free or low cost software and a normal ISP connection. Normally, computer-to-computer calls are free, regardless of distance. The only equipment needed is a headset (or speakers and a microphone) and a sound card for your computer.

As with any emerging technology, VoIP is working out problems as they become evident. Standards are still being developed to oversee the technology and while VoIP is far superior to the current phone system in many ways, its weakest link at this stage, is in terms of reliability. Voice quality can be suboptimal at times and VoIP is still vulnerable to power outages. Since circuit-switch based technology has been so reliable, this is a critical aspect to be considered when deciding whether to switch from traditional phones to internet based solutions or wait for further refinements.

Read Part 3 of this 3 part series, Delivering Business Solutions, to learn more about specific business solutions currently offered by VoIP technology.