How to Choose the Best Business Phone System

Three Options clearly Stand Out

Technology is ever-changing and over the past 20 years, three competing phone system types have emerged. The traditional (PBX) phone system is still with us and uses tried and true technologies, the Voice-over-IP (VoIP) phone system is the data network-based option and the Cloud-hosted phone system moves the system completely out of the office and to the Cloud. Choosing the right phone system type often boils down to how your company answers some of the following questions:

What is your call volume and how critical is it that every call be answered successfully?
How often do you experience poor internet service or outages?
How sophisticated is your network infrastructure?
Do you have sufficient voice and/or data cabling? How old is it?
Do you have reliable IT Support?
What is your company disaster recovery plan?

The answers to these questions will help determine which of the three systems below are a good fit for your business. Before making a final decision, further analysis of your organizational needs is highly recommended. Click the button below to fill out a short survey and to request a return call or email from our experienced technical staff. No sales pitch or meeting is necessary.

Traditional Phone System

Proven Technology

For decades, the standard business phone system has been and remains a viable and sometime preferable option. The system is located in your office where it's secure and easy to access. The system uses traditional landlines delivered via copper or fiber.

Key Points:

Stable, independent from your data network
Up-front capital expense can be depreciated
Power comes from phone system, no AC adapter
Landlines more expensive but very reliable
Easy to install, operate and manage
Requires hardware to expand

VoIP Phone System

Next Generation

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) describes a newer model of business phone system where voice is sent over network cable as data traffic rather than separate voice-only cable. System still located on premise. Like traditional, can use land lines or SIP trunks.

Key Points:

Single cable for phone and PC can save costs
Easy plug-and-play phone moves in the office
Typically requires PoE (Power over Ethernet)
Mobility Apps for cell phones
Can support multiple offices, remote workers
Typically license-based so easier to expand

Cloud Phone System

Monthly Per-User

Cloud Phone system is hosted in protected, secure and redundant data center so high availability. Plug phone into internet-active data jack and phone "homes" to IP address of phone system and programming. Local and Long Distance included in monthly rate.

Key Points:

No phone system in your office
Only equipment is a phone and router/firewall
Completely reliant on internet connection
Phone can be used anywhere that has internet
User Admin Interface
Feature-list not as robust as Traditional & VoIP

Business Phone Systems