Hosted PBX systems offer cost-effective telephone disaster recovery with caveats
Paul Kirvan, independent consultant, author and educator in BC management, discusses hosted PBX systems in this Q&A.
Hosted private branch exchange (PBX) systems can be attractive for companies looking to cut back on voice communications costs. However, hosted PBX systems are not a good fit for everyone. Paul Kirvan, an independent disaster recovery (DR) and business continuity (BC) consultant, outlines what you should consider before adopting a hosted PBX system in this Q&A. His answers are also available as an mp3 below.
Table of contents:
>> What are the benefits of hosted PBX?
>> What are the drawbacks of hosted PBX?
>> What should you consider before selecting a provider
>> Is hosted PBX primarily an SMB play?
>> What if you grow and have to upgrade?
>> Are there clear upgrade paths?
>> How does the pricing typically work?
What are the benefits of hosted PBX for disaster recovery?
Hosted, or virtual PBX systems, provide a cost-effective solution for voice communications recovery, because the "switch" is located elsewhere, and is presumably protected from disruptions through a hardened facility, backup power and sufficient network bandwidth. The concept behind hosted PBX systems is not new. It's very similar to centrex, a technology that dates back to the 1950s. But while the concept is not new, the technology is much more sophisticated.
Typically, calls from a disabled premises-based PBX system, as well as a voice over IP (VoIP) system, need to be dynamically re-routed to the backup system, which then processes calls according to customer-specified procedures. The process to initiate recovery is generally very easy, and can use a pre-configured activation process or a dynamic real-time process.
What are the drawbacks of hosted PBX?
What should you consider before selecting a hosted PBX provider, and which features should users look for with disaster recovery in mind?
Is this primarily a small- to midsized business (SMB) play? Are there hosted PBX offerings for larger companies as well?
Packages tend to focus on 100 phones or less, with the greatest emphasis on 20 phones or less. Large-scale implementations seem to be possible, with a few vendors suggesting upwards of 1,000 extensions supported, but the design and engineering for such an installation needs to be examined carefully before moving forward.
What if you are a small company that grows and you have to upgrade?
Hosted PBX systems can easily expand or contract; it's simply a matter of changing to a different pricing plan. Packages typically include a maximum number of phones supported, plus 8XX numbers, fax lines, minutes of incoming and outgoing usage and specialized features such as automatic call distribution (ACD).
Are there clear upgrade paths if you need to upgrade?
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