As with any investment in a business, it’s best to do some prior research before making the jump. This article is to assist those business owners or IT managers why a telephone system could be beneficial to your business and the reasons for choosing one, over a business landline, or a mobile device.

When it comes to deciding whether you need a phone system or not, you first need to know what the options are.

What types of phone system are there?

In 2022, you can break down telephone systems into two categories, on-premises and hosted. The two choices are essentially the same technology and will have similar feature sets, depending on the provider you choose.

The only difference is where the infrastructure is kept, and the costs associated with that.

On-Premises telephone systems

Modern VoIP telephone systems can operate over the Internet, using VoIP technology or digitally through a telephone wire.

If you are adamant you do not want VoIP, due to poor Internet accessibility or other reasons, what you’ll receive is a VoIP system configured to run digitally.

Most modern PBXs have remote technology built into the system, meaning that the PBX provider can maintain, upgrade, and offer assistance remotely. That being said, there might be times when having an IT manager on-site or calling out an engineer might be beneficial.

Hosted telephone systems

A hosted telephone system/PBX is essentially a VoIP PBX run from a provider’s data centre. Flexible licensing and handset compatibility mean that it might be more suited to businesses that require frequent change.

Choosing a hosted system can heavily reduce the initial investment. There’s no physical hardware, other than handsets, and these are not required.

You pay a monthly fee, this is usually per user, and then a small setup cost.

All the other costs including maintenance, upgrades, and energy usage will be covered by the monthly fee.

Telephone systems vs phone lines

Multiple extensions off a single telephone line

A telephone system can reduce the requirement for individual phone lines, and therefore your monthly line rental bill.

Modern telephone systems allow multiple concurrent calls to happen through a single phone line.

Adding new users can be a simple internal process, whereas if you just use a phone line, you have to speak to the network provider, who would then install another line.

Remote connections through browsers or applications

Through the use of mobile applications and Internet browser compatibility, most telephone systems allow users to use the system remotely either through a mobile device or computer.

Every provider will have its software and you should check what features these applications can provide.

While it is possible to have people connect to telephone lines remotely, it’s not a simple task and there will be costs associated with setup and maintenance which can quickly add up.

Telephone system features

For helpdesks and call centres, call features are essential but these features can also be very useful for offices with multiple users and moderate call volumes.

Most call features such as music-on-hold, call forwarding, and call transfers will come as a standard feature set but more advanced call features sometimes require additional costs. Most providers will offer various packages with basic and advanced call feature sets, and some offer bespoke options.

It’s worth comparing call feature sets among providers, to get the most suitable feature set for your business.

How much does a new telephone system cost?

When the business reaches a certain size or is continuing to expand, having a modern system in place can reduce both line rental and maintenance costs.

For a business that is using an older phone system, maintenance costs can be high. The older the system gets; the fewer service providers are willing to support it, less competition equals higher costs, and if it’s after end-of-life care, costs can skyrocket.

Need some advice?

in2tel offer both on-premise PBXs and hosted PBXs, our sales team can advise you on what’s the suitable option for your needs.

Our hosted PBX, in2pbx comes with two packages essential and essential+ and you can add other bespoke features if required. The system only requires a minimum of four users, making it ideal for small and medium businesses.

in2pbx offers low monthly pricing with a low entry cost, is easily scalable, and comes with a mobile and desktop application.

If you would like to find out more contact us through live chat, send a form, or give us a call.

About in2tel

in2tel is a telecoms carrier and solution provider that’s been operating in Ireland and the UK for 15 years. It provides organisations with an affordable, bespoke design that is often found in large-scale enterprises. in2tel’s services provide communication channels for contact centres, sales and marketing teams and internal departments for a large variety of small businesses and SMEs.