The inventory of types of office phone systems has evolved over the last several years. There are a few well-developed options to consider.
The regular phone system technology is still very much alive. They call it POTS (Plain Old Telephone System). You can buy multi-line telephones that use the same analog transmission as was invented by Alexander Graham Bell. You can still purchase individual phones and telephone lines for each of your offices and pay the phone company a bulk rate for line services.
You can purchase multi-line systems that may route several lines through a single switching device that connects with individual office phones. If you want a real multi-line network, you have to purchase a PBX (Private Branch Exchange) switching device. These are large expensive electronic devices that range in cost between $800 and $2,000 dollars.
A popular alternative to buying a PBX system is to use an online service which simulates a PBX system on a cloud server. To use these servers you would continue to use your ordinary phones (called Merlin phones) connected to an office computer to a cloud server which would “act like” a PBX switching system. The advantage of using a cloud server PBX is that you would be able to use the same line and phone number anywhere in the world.
Many businesses opt to use cellular phone service to replace or supplement their “land line” POTS systems. These phones are like small radio transmitter/receivers that transmit and receive signals from a growing network of towers throughout most urban centers. The cell phone tower system has its own switching and is connected eventually into the land line network as well.
A third alternative is provided by the internet itself. The internet is an offshoot of the telephone system. Signals travel around the world to and from communication satellite networks and a vast web of cables. Internet phones (IP Phones) are connected by special adapters to your computer. The adapters translate the analog sound transmissions from the phone into computer friendly digital signals using what is called VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol). These digital signals are sent over internet channels much as images or music signals are transmitted via what amounts to the telephone network.
Many new web-based companies provide VoIP phone services at relatively low cost. These services can provide any number of telephone lines, limited only by the network bandwidth that your computer and a high-speed internet connection can provide. VoIP services usually include a host of special telephone services like conferencing, automated receptionist services and others.
Clarus Communications will conduct a VoIP assessment to understand your business needs. This review will determine your current situation and inventory your current equipment to determine if you are a great candidate for VoIP. Once you pass our initial review, the team at Clarus Communications will provide you with a free estimate so you can compare providers. We shop the carriers saving you time and money. We have helped hundreds of companies nationwide save thousands of dollars on their monthly telecommunications bills through VoIP. Use your Internet connection now to contact us.