Hosted Phone Systems

A hosted PBX or hosted phone system is one in which the provider is responsible for housing the IP-PBX and handling all the technology required to provide the services to businesses. The calls, signalling and features are handled through an IP-PBX server at the provider’s location. The provider of the hosted PBX charges a monthly fee that typically includes a defined number of minutes and limited features.

Call charges can also be on a per minute basis. Two major financial advantages of a hosted phone system are that 1) the business is not responsible for upfront costs, installation, maintenance or ongoing support and 2) the business can calculate and budget the cost per month with more accuracy. Extended features may come with additional cost.

Benefits of a hosted phone system:

• Installation – Installation costs are less than with a traditional system, as there is no hardware installation apart from the LAN and phone handsets.
• Maintenance – The service provider holds and maintains all of the equipment and covers the cost of maintenance.
• Low call rates – Hosted solutions typically come with free ‘bundled’ minutes, an approach that reduces costs and makes budgeting much easier.
• Speed of installation – Only the handsets are involved in physical installation.
• Flexibility – All phone numbers are completely portable, leaving businesses free to move offices or have home workers without making changes to the phone number. With no hardware on site, the cost and complexity of relocation is significantly reduced.