The Pros and Cons of Hosted pbx
These days, everyone wants to go hosted! From email and web hosting to phone systems in “the cloud”, hosted solutions are becoming more prevalent in technology and telecom. So, what does this mean for you as the business consumer and are you supposed to move to a hosted phone system in this ever-changing technological world? Well, there are definite advantages to going hosted, as well as some drawbacks. Learn more about hosted phone systems before making your decision by outweighing the pros and the cons, and depicting how it all pertains to your business.
PROS of Hosted pbx:
– Your business can get brand new phones with little to no capital investment
– There aren’t any on-going maintenance or service charges
– It is a very versatile system – allowing you to make changes “on-the-fly” through designated portals
– Often-times equip with the newest features, and consistent FREE ongoing software updates for cutting-edge technology
– If your Internet goes down, your incoming callers (potential customers) will still get your voice mail and you will be able to retrieve those messages
– Generally, hosted phone systems are a great choice for small businesses (5-10 employees) with potential growth
CONS of Hosted pbx:
– Without enough bandwidth and a stable Internet connection, you are prone to voice quality issues
– If your Internet goes down, you are without voice AND Internet, as they are all connected
– Often-times unable to “customize” aspects of the phone system
– May cost more over a longer period of time than a traditional premise-based phone system (if you plan on utilizing a phone system, or have owned one in the past for over 10 years, premised-based systems are the most cost effective)
– The provider hosting your phone system may not be able to make changes to your system fast enough, and may not provide you total control into a portal to do so yourself (dependent upon carrier)
– You are not in complete control to manage your phone system, as you are dependent upon the provider
Either way you take your business – hosted or premise-based – technology continues to thrive and strive as systems transform and change with every year; neither choice is the wrong choice, it’s all about finding the choice that fits your companies’ needs the best. Be sure you are working with the right provider who has your best interest in mind, and are well informed before you make your final decision.
Business Phone and Internet Testimonial
After completing our recent MPLS conversion, I wanted to express our sincere appreciation for all of the great service Integrated Communications has provided. We have worked with [Integrated employees] over the course of the past two years and quickly realized we made a wise choice in selecting your services for our telecom networking needs.
With the relationships you have with all of the local service providers, it is clear that we could leverage these relationships to our advantage and get the best service for the best price for our organization.
Nate Young provided us with a select list of local service providers that were interested in providing MPLS service to our organization. Once we made the decision on our service provider, this is where we really appreciated our relationship with Integrated Communications.
Thalina, we could tell from our very first meeting that you had our best interest in mind. When there were any questions about dates, deadlines, and scheduling, you were relentless to make sure we had the proper people from the telecom, your organization, as well as Tiller Corporation involved. Basically, you provided superior project management service!
After reviewing each of our four installations, the implementation at every location was successful because of the thorough planning and scheduling that was managed by you and your staff. When dates from the telecom were delayed, you asked the right questions and kept the project moving forward. The services that Integrated Communications provided are a value that any company needing telecommunication services should consider.
We are proud to have established a long-term relationship with Integrated Communications and look forward to working with you in the future.
Sincerely,
Gene A. Schaff | Director of IT | Tiller Corporation
*A Tiller Corporation testimonial regarding Integrated Communications Business Phone and Internet services*