Any modern office of a company cannot be imagined without a mini-PBX. After all, this device is responsible for organizing high-quality intercom and rational use of city telephone lines. Today, the struggle between office workers for the right to make a call from the only available number is a thing of the past. Nowadays, this problem is solved by using external and internal lines. There is no need to increase the number of fixed telephone numbers. How to choose a PBX for the office and how to install it? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article.
What is a PBX?
Office PBX is a small automatic telephone exchange. It is designed to serve a small number of city numbers. With such a device, a company can afford not to allocate a separate line for each number that is used. This leads to a reduction in the cost of calls.
Mini PBX concentrates the load on the line. Due to the fact that each of them is used more thanintensively, the company can refuse part of the landline numbers or ensure the normal functioning of the enterprise with their deficit.
The principle of operation of a mini-PBX for the office is similar to the operation of multi-channel stations, which are operated by telephone operators. The difference lies only in the number of serviced rooms. For an office installation, this number is significantly lower. Also, a mini-PBX is characterized by a breakdown into internal and external lines.
How to choose a PBX for the office? Read more about this below.
How to choose a PBX?
In order to make the right choice when buying a mini-PBX, you need to decide on the input data and indicate the desired criteria.
Input data means the number of available fixed lines and the desired number of working extensions. The standard distribution is as follows: each city line corresponds to 3-4 internal ones. In any case, when determining the number of serviced numbers, it is recommended to consult with a mini-PBX installation specialist for the office. The smallest capacity of such a device is 3 fixed lines and 8 extensions.
It is necessary to clarify whether after installing an office mini-PBX there will be free external and internal channels. Such a reserve should not be large, but if it is completely absent, a number of problems may arise in the near future. We must not forget about internal lines for faxes and modems.
You should also decide on the manufacturer. The most popular firms that produce mini-PBX for the office arePanasonic and LG.
There are a number of important questions that simply need to be discussed with a PBX connection specialist:
- the presence of a built-in adapter for the ability to connect an uninterruptible power supply battery;
- the need for a connector to connect a computer that keeps the protocols of negotiations;
- the ability to set the load distribution mode evenly on each of the city lines.
Now you know how to choose a PBX for the office. It's time to take a closer look at the main features of this device.
Key features of PBX
Office PBX has the following main functions:
- Call forwarding. This function is the most popular regardless of the type of enterprise activity. It allows you to forward an incoming call to a fax or to a specific employee of the company. To do this, simply dial the appropriate extension number on the proprietary telephone and hang up. The outside party will hear the melody until a new connection is established. If a particular employee is not present, or his line is busy, the external call will be returned to the system phone again.
- "Intercept" the call. This function is necessary in the case when one of the employees went to another desktop, and at that time his phone rang. PBX for the office allows this worker to take the call even while moving around the perimeter. To do this, the employee will have to dial a certain combination of numbers on any of the devices.
- Receive a call during a call. If a parallel call is received during a conversation, a certain signal will be heard in the handset. By dialing a simple code, you can answer this call.
- Order connection. In case of unsuccessful attempts to call a landline number that is constantly busy, you need to dial a special code. The mini-PBX will notify that the required line is free, and the connection will be established automatically.
- "Follow me." This feature allows you to forward to any of the extensions within the office perimeter. Thus, the employee may not be at the workplace, but all his incoming calls will be answered by him.
- Conference call. This feature allows you to add one or more additional participants to a telephone conversation. Conference participants can be either internal or external.
- Connecting to a conversation. Thanks to this function, the manager can connect with any of the subordinates at any time, even if there is a telephone conversation at that moment. Only a subscriber with the corresponding priority level can join the conversation. This process is accompanied by a sound signal. Appropriate priority levels are assigned during installation and configuration of the PBX.
Additional PBX functions
In addition to the basic functions that office PBXs have by default, there are a number of additional functions that are useful in a particular case. Some of them are described below.
If the secretary receiving calls on the proprietary telephone is busy, the incoming call can be queued. In this case, the external subscriber will not hear beeps, but a voice message that you can create yourself. It can be either a promotional message or a simple request to stay on the line.
Another option to relieve the secretary a little is to allow external subscribers to independently dial the required internal number of a specific employee of the company.
The ability to use speech processors allows you to provide each extension with an answering machine. In addition, this voicemail makes it possible to handle incoming calls without the involvement of operators.
In order to determine which of the employees made which long-distance or international calls, you can give each of the employees a personal code, using which the person will be able to use long-distance communication. If an employee does not have a special set of numbers, then he will not be able to call a toll line.
The following will describe both standard and modern types of office PBXs.
Analogue PBXs
Analogue mini-PBX can be used when the number of internal subscribers is not more than fifty, and high requirements are not imposed on the functionality of the telephone network.
Such equipment transforms speech into a pulsed or continuous electrical signal whose amplitude varies. For todayday analog mini PBXs are able to serve up to 46 ports.
The main advantage of such equipment is lower cost compared to digital equipment with the same capacity. The disadvantage of analog PBXs is a small number of service functions.
Digital PBXs
Digital mini-PBXs allow serving more than 50 ports. Such equipment converts speech into binary pulse streams using the PCM method.
Digital PBXs are more expensive than analog ones. But thanks to this, such a device has a large number of service functions. Also, these PBXs are much easier to install in offices.
Wireless PBXs
Wireless mini-PBXs for the office provide mobility for employees and do not require wires. When using such a device, workers have radio telephones with which they can move around the entire perimeter.
Unlike cellular, wireless is free. The capacity of such mini-automatic telephone exchanges can be increased without any problems. The operation of this connection does not require any permits.
Unlike wired telephones, radios are protected from eavesdropping and secret connection. The sound quality when using wireless PBXs is characterized as high.
Virtual PBXs
Virtual PBX for the office is a product of the latest technology. It is located on the server of the Internet operator, does not require purchaseadditional equipment and works on the basis of the network available in the office.
When using such equipment, communication costs are reduced to a minimum. If necessary, the expansion of the capacity of this mini-PBX is carried out very quickly.
If the office has changed location, there is no need to change existing phone numbers. There is also no need to call specialists to install and connect such a mini-PBX - all control is carried out via the Internet.
PBX using GSM
GSM mini PBX for the office is designed to organize telephone communication in places where there is no possibility of a regular line, but there is a signal from a mobile operator.
GSM-gateway helps to increase the number of external lines, while reducing office costs for mobile communications. Its installation is possible in any building, city or country where your IP network will be available. PBX for the office using such equipment provides the ability to make as many mobile calls as possible using inter-network or corporate rates when they are lower than the usual cost of calls.
PBX Installation
Installation of a mini-PBX for the office includes design and equipment. Listening to the opinion of a specialist in connecting such equipment, you need to determine the most relevant options for you and the required capacity of the telephone exchange.
The next stage of installation is the installation of equipment. Usually itlocated inside a special cabinet. After that, external and internal ports are connected, all cables are crossed and marked, and the process of initial testing of the system is carried out.
The next step is programming and setting up a mini-PBX. This process is purely individual for a particular client, because everyone's wishes and requirements are different.
If the company's offices are located in several buildings, then each of them should install its own mini-PBX, which will interact with each other using a digital or analog connecting line. Typically, one system phone installed at the secretary is used. The rest of the staff should be provided with conventional devices. If it becomes necessary to supply all employees with system telephones, you will need to purchase additional system cards for the PBX, which will entail additional costs.
Conclusion
Mini-PBX for the office is a special device for even load distribution between subscriber telephone lines. The use of such equipment allows you to direct incoming calls to any communication device, forward them, set the standby mode. This modern device allows you to effectively organize the work of the enterprise and reduce the cost of telephone communications. The article describes how to choose a PBX for the office and how to install it.
