What is a Virtual PBX system?

PBX is the common used term for a private branch exchange, a telephone system that serves one business. Initially a PBX was designed to allow companies to control their in-house phone systems through operators. Today, instead of just routing calls, these systems are also used in conjunction with fax machines, computer modems, and other types of technology that connect through phone lines.

Businesses embracing VoIP systems from the beginning were highly interested in making use of PBX systems, but finding a way to do so without draining resources was the question . The solution had been to use “hosted” PBX systems, in which an outside company managed the private VoIP system; instead of the exchange system’s being located within the business, it is located at the site of the VoIP host. This arrangement allowed a small business to take advantage of a comprehensive VoIP system without having to maintain a full time staff to keep that system operational.

Virtual PBX providers have evolved in the last couple years to provide many additional services, such as, call-forwarding, and call-waiting options, as well as many advanced calling features such as phone and computer integration.

For example, most providers offer Microsoft’s Outlook integration so that users can access e-mail address books through one convenient location. Additionally, some Virtual PBX companies offer some variation of the click-to-call widgets, made popular by companies like Skype which appear as buttons on the business’s Web site or social networking profile; when a customer clicks the button, the two parties connect by phone. This is a huge feature that helps businesses move seamlessly between online and voice interaction.

On a simpler level, the integration of voice and data allow for effortless communication within the business itself. Since virtual PBX companies can host video, voice, and data, a companies can collaborate remotely without investing in any additional software or hardware. Not to mention, virtual PBX systems can provide an online means of tracking call data, which could assist with billing and budgeting.

Among a number of other benefits, virtual PBX system requires no extra hardware and very little training; as a result, it lowers the initial startup costs for the business. A virtual PBX setup might not be the right solution for every business, however. For Most small medium sized companies a Virtual PBX makes the most sense.