The Hidden Costs of an IP PBX System

Moving to an IP PBX system can be financially advantageous, resulting in lower long distance fees, lower hardware costs, and access to higher-end features for very little extra money. The salespeople who offer the systems are quick to point out these advantages, and they are correct—but before you sign on the dotted line, make sure you have the whole picture. There are other costs involved besides the retail price of the equipment, which may not be immediately obvious. Even with all indirect or “hidden” costs factored in, IP PBX is still often a wise decision, but it pays to be informed, and be aware of the big picture.

Bandwidth

One of the first hidden costs you could potentially face is the cost of additional bandwidth. If you are not already using VoIP, you must realize that once your IP PBX is installed, your voice traffic will be moving over your Internet connection, as opposed to the phone company’s copper wire. This will place an extra burden on your existing Internet connection, and you may need to upgrade for additional bandwidth. If you have a small office with only a few phones, and you have a DSL connection to the Internet, you may be able to get away with keeping your current bandwidth, but an upgrade may be in order, depending on how many phone lines you have and what your simultaneous usage may be. You may need to upgrade from DSL to a fractional T1, or if you have a fractional T1, you may need a full T1, and this will represent additional monthly cost.

New phones

If you’re moving to VoIP, you’ll need IP phones, since your old phones won’t work and won’t support the advanced features you’ll get from your IP PBX system. In many cases, this is a hard decision, since a large office may have tens of thousands of dollars tied up in telephones which are perfectly usable. You have a choice between purchasing all-new IP phones, or purchasing adapters for your existing phones. The adapter option may save some money, but it may be defeating the purpose of deploying the IP PBX in the first place. The modern IP phones are built with IP telephony in mind, and are ready to take advantage of the many new features that would not be supported on your old phones with just an adapter.

Installation

If you’re running an on-premises IP PBX, you need to either have skilled staff on site, or use the services of a professional who will install the IP PBX at your facility. Ideally, this installer will be able to switch over to the new system in a fairly transparent manner, so you are not faced with any substantial downtime; and in addition, they should also be able to take time to train you and your staff on how to use your new system.

Integration

The high-end features of your IP PBX system will allow you to integrate your phone system with many existing applications. For example, your phone system could be integrated with your customer database, so that your call agents get a “screen pop” whenever a call comes in, showing not only who is calling, but their entire order history and sales notes. This type of integration adds to productivity, but may require some custom integration by professionals who understand both the IP PBX system, and the other applications with which it must work.

AccessDirect Virtual IP PBX

AccessDirect Virtual IP PBX system comes with all the features that are usually found only on high-end PBX system owned by large companies. IP Virtual PBX lets small and medium businesses to establish their business presence anywhere in the United States. That means you can operate your business from your home or from any isolated region without relocating to the place where you are interested to establish your business presence. Consequently, our Virtual IP PBX eliminates the operating expenses associated with traditional branch offices, and unaffordable long distant call rates.

VoLANs IP PBX

VoLANs VL series IP PBXs are all-in-one solution especially designed to meet the various needs of SMEs and to enable VoIP service providers to quickly and cost-effectively launch basic business VoIP services.
VL series provides an effective and complete communications solution for cost-conscious companies. It improves productivity and enhances customer care, while reducing capital expenses and operating costs.
VL series is a communication system that integrates two essential business operations into one simple system: a feature-rich telephony system and a robust data network system.
The system provides enterprise-class features, such as custom call routing, various call services, remote user access and site-to-site connectivity. It also supports remote users and you can connect multiple VL series IP PBXs to create one telephony system across multiple sites with VPN mechanism.

Wangate PBX

Wangate PBX systems allow to connect both digital (SIP/IAX2), analog (FXS/FXO) or digital (ISDN BRI/PRI and GSM) with a single product.
Our PBX can be expanded with internal gateways for analog/digital interfaces resulting in lower costs and better voice quality, as they're engineered by us. You can also use standard external gateways (SIP/IAX2) for FXS/FXO/GSM/BRI/PRI (etc) connections.
Based on the open source asterisk platform and open source software, our PBX do not impose fixed limits on the number of extensions, gateways, trunks etc.

Standard Features

All Wangate PBX use the same firmware and are compatible with one another. Even the smallest PBX1 is a full blown PBX with no limits and advanced features:

• Ring groups
• Voicemail for every extension with email capabilities.
• Music on Hold (MOH)
• Automated Attendant (IVR menus)
• DISA
• Active channels monitoring in real time
• Multiple dial plans and access control lists
• Conference rooms

Technical Specifications

Wangate PBX differ in their hardware interfaces but they all share the same basic specifications:

• SIP/IAX2/RTCP protocols supported
• Unlimited VoIP trunks. 
• Unlimited VoIP extensions.
• Echo cancel with hardware DSP
• Jitter control
• Full list of VoIP Codecs (G.729AB, G.711, G.723, G726, iLBC, Speex).
• CNG/VAD
• DTMF Tones
• Support for FAX/Modem (analog/isdn lines) and T.38 pass-trough on VoIP lines.

onecomms PBX

The onecomms PBX is a business IP phone system which includes many features as standard
The PBX is available in a 1U rackmount, a 4U rackmount, a mini wallmount, or HP Server based floor-standing chassis for convenient installation into any business environment.

Based on standard SIP architecture, the PBX is compatible with most VoIP applications and hardware.
With the addition of a line-card, the system can also be connected to existing landlines, as well as VoIP lines. This gives multiple incoming and outgoing calling routes, as well as backup for any line which may fail.
Running on standard RJ45 Ethernet, the PBX will integrate into most companies network infrastructure without the need for additional cabling on the premises.

Some of the many features include -

• Free calls to laptop users on the road or at home
• Free site-to-site calls
• Call Recording & Monitoring
• Unlimited Extensions
• Unlimited Lines
• Voicemail and voicemail-to-email forwarding
• Call Queuing
• Auto Attendant/Call menus
• Call ringing groups,
• Call diverts
• Least Cost Routing
• Automatic switchover for night time & weekends
• Customisable Music on Hold
• Call Logging & Reporting
• CTI (on-screen pop-ups)
• CRM Software
• Links into Outlook, ACT! or any other database software
• Works with any Standard IP SIP phone
• Simple/Plug-and-Play Install
• Low Cost installation
• Enables remote users
• Paperless Faxing
• Fax-to-email
• Support for Videophones

PortaSwitch

PortaSwitch is a software based telecommunication services and subscriber management platform that allows VoIP service providers, carriers, ISPs, and modern communication network operators to unify voice, data, Internet and fax traffic within a single
converged network.
PortaSwitch is built around a comprehensive converged VoIP billing software platform and includes a class 4-5 SIP softswitch and media application servers. PortaSwitch provides access to the complete hosted IP PBX or IP Centrex functionality and the ultimate feature set as a calling cards or VoIP wholesale platform.

Voicetronix OpenPBX

Voicetronix's OpenPBX is Open Source and is entirely written in Perl. It runs on Linux and interacts with a range of multi-port analogue FXO, FXS and digital (Primary Rate) line interface PCI cards via CT Server, a Perl based client/server library supporting Voicetronix hardware.

OpenPBX a full function, web enabled PBX application, suitable for small office installations and can scale to large call centres. Features include a web based user and management GUI, unlimited Voicemail, Hierarchical Auto-Attendant, Automatic Call Distribution ACD, Least Call Routing (LCR), Music on Hold (MOH), Call Display Records (CDR), unlimited huntgroups, call transfer, call parking, call baring. It has the ability to offer 3 way call conferencing and by leveraging the power of the desktop it offers voice to email, click to dial and transfer of calls.

Brekeke PBX IP Phone System

Brekeke PBX is an award-winning Business IP Phone System that provides robust, high performance, and intelligent IP-PBX (PABX) functionality.

Supporting the industry standard--Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-- Brekeke PBX delivers a highly compatible product for migrating existing applications and services. Brekeke PBX comes in two formats: Single-Tenant (Basic & Pro Ed.) for premises-based IP-PBX installation, and Multi-Tenant for Hosted PBX platform. The Brekeke PBX is highly scalable and supports up to 2,000 users and more. Brekeke PBX supports Microsoft Windows and Red Hat Linux.

AltiGen IP PBX

AltiGen Communications VoIP Phone SolutionsSRMS Network Technologies is a full-service managed solutions provider and AltiGen distributor.  SRMS will prepare, recommend, install, train, support, manage, and maintain AltiGen PBX Phone Systems. Using a single-server solution configuration and installation of your phone system is done quickly and efficiently.AltiGen’s IP PBX Phone System is the world’s most widely deployed 100% Microsoft-based Unified Communications system.    Unlike the network switch-based VoIP systems, AltiGen’s open software-based approach offers maximum functionality, flexibility, and scalability – all without requiring expensive, proprietary hardware systems.

VoIPCortex IP-PBX

ipcortex is set to radically change the PBX landscape with the second major release of its VoIPCortex IP-PBX platforms. Enhancing the capabilities of its mature and widely deployed platform, this release builds upon the functionality of the existing Pro and VoIPCortex rack mount units and adds an entirely new Compact VoIPCortex unit. Optimised for SMEs, the Compact PBX allows smaller organisations to discover the benefits of VoIPCortex IP-PBX solutions.
VoIPCortex units are flexible, open, feature-rich, and above all simple to configure, leading to much reduced deployment costs for installations of all sizes.
All VoIPCortex systems now include advanced features such as voicemail with unified messaging, call records with billing data, IVR menus, conference bridge, hunt groups, hot-desking capabilities, music-on-hold, call queues and soft-fax - all configured through an intuitive web based UI. Auto configuration of Aastra, Elmeg, Linksys, Polycom and snom ip phones is a key feature for speedy system installation.

AskoziaPBX Open Source PBX System

AskoziaPBX is a complete PBX (Private Branch Exchange) on a small live CD that can be installed to your hard drive. It makes Asterisk, the number one open source PBX, install in minutes. Coupled with a little bit of telephony hardware or a SIP phone and a VOIP gateway account, you can have a complete phone system running in less than half an hour using AskoziaPBX.

IP PBX

For PBXs, IP telephony has crossed over from an emerging technology into the mainstream choice for business voice. The initial technical and operational challenges faced by IP PBXs are behind them, ROIs are proving the economics to be solid, and the productivity gains associated with the technology are and will continue to exceed those that could be realized with traditional telephony. User acceptance of IP telephony is high, with the sales of IP lines in the first half of 2007 solidly continuing to outpace those of traditional lines, as the move to IP telephony continues.

VoiceAxis PBX

VoiceAxis is multi-tenant PBX and VoIP management software designed to enable Service Providers and Enterprises to install and manage a large scale Asterisk implementation. The software controls a unique VoiceAxis Asterisk Cluster environment which utilizes Asterisk as the feature server or “SoftSwitch”. VoiceAxis works with both Asterisk Business Edition and the Asterisk Community Edition (asterisk.org), and leverages several other open source and commercially supported technologies.

PBX in a Flash

PBX in a Flash is the Lean, Mean Asterisk Machine designed to meet the needs of hobbyists as well as business users and VARs. You'll have a high-performance turnkey Asterisk PBX that's easy to upgrade with dozens of add on scripts to provide virtually any feature you can imagine. With PIAF you can choose from tons of Nerd Vittles and FreePBX applications that install in under 15 seconds: AsteriDex, Weather Reports, News Feeds, Email by Phone, Telephone Reminders, and many more. You add features when you need additional functionality. Otherwise, Just Say No to Bloatware!

Virtual PBX Provides Winning Service for New York International Spirits Competition

Posted on October 26, 2010 by C. Sensendorf

When you are hosting the world’s foremost spirits and wine competition, it is crucial to have a phone system that can back you up all the way. Luckily, Adam Levy, the host and founder of the New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC), was well prepared to recognize and award the best spirits and wines in the world.

Levy easily and efficiently ran the NYISC with the Virtual PBX® business-class phone system. Already familiar with the best, he knew VirtualPBX would be the perfect system to keep him in contact with a multitude of judges and vintners, and manage numerous calls from any location. In addition, receiving all the award submissions was no problem with the built-in faxing capabilities offered by VirtualPBX.

With Virtual PBX, Levy was able to significantly reduce overall costs and have access to vital features including follow-me calling and inbound fax. He estimates the new system saves the company around $980 a year on phone charges.

“After using Virtual PBX at a previous company, I knew that they offered a great service that would be easy for us to implement,” said Levy. “Today, our team relies on Virtual PBX to retrieve all of our voicemails and faxes, even when we are in completely different locations. In particular, we value the ease-of-use and varied feature set, which allows us to work out of our home offices and on-the-go when we’re at tasting events.”

The industry’s leading spirit experts are a huge part of NYISC’s overwhelming success. To compare and select the winning spirits, they had to be in constant contact with buyers, sommeliers, restaurant owners, distributers and importers. They never missed a call or fax as the virtual PBX system effortlessly routed the hundreds of entry forms as well as numerous calls to the appropriate line.

“A majority of our customers are on-the-go and require flexible resources to help them keep up with the needs of their clients, regardless of their location,” said Paul Hammond, president and CEO of Virtual PBX. “With the industry’s strongest set of features included in our standard plans, we give customers like the New York International Spirits Competition a cost-effective and powerful business phone system that delivers peace of mind.”

Our congratulations to Adam Levy and the New York International Spirits Competition. We’re proud to be involved with such a prestigious event!

Filed under: follow-me calling, general telephony, phone system

Virtual PBX Adds VoIP Phones and New Flat-Rate Plans!

  Virtual PBX Adds Hardware VoIP Phone Support

The time has come — Virtual PBX, provider of the no-compromise business phone system, announced support for hardware VoIP Phones along with new flat-rate plans, fortifying their lineup of industry-leading plans and services. With this, Virtual PBX now controls the phone call from the inbound phone number ALL the way down to the phone on the desktop. You can now have a truly complete phone system integrating phone numbers, free long distance and IP phones into one cost-effective solution.

We now offer two award winning plans from which you, the customer, can choose: the new flat-rate plans and the original usage-based plans. Even better, you don’t have to be on the flat-rate plans to use the VoIP phones – we’ve set up the system to support the phones on either plan. So feel free to pick the plan that works best for you and your business, and also decide how you would like the system to reach you. You can be contacted through the VoIP phone(s) and/or contact phone numbers via a landline or cell phone. The freedom to choose is in your hands.

We also offer you the freedom to save! With Virtual PBX you can simplify your life and your budget by cutting the ties with your landline carrier. There is really no need for a landline anymore seeing as how you can make and receive phone calls using a VoIP phone and your Virtual PBX service. So go on ahead and save that money each month with Virtual PBX Complete. With our phone service you can enjoy a savings of anywhere from 40-80% in traditional phone system and landline costs – that is a huge savings! Given that telecom costs are a major expense in everyday business, Virtual PBX provides business communication that is affordable, easy and accessible from wherever you need to be with a low monthly fee and no contracts or setup costs!

Please see the plan details below and save money with the plan suited for you:

Flat-Rate Plans:

These are your traditional “unlimited” plans that so many companies try to market. However, Virtual PBX does it right as there is a fair-use policy in place (much like every other VoIP phone service out there) that allows 5,000 minutes of inbound minutes per extension, aggregated at the account level. So a 5-user system would include upwards of 25,000 inbound local minutes. That’s amazing. Most companies won’t touch that. Yet, they can have this system for around $150 per month, and that already includes the e911 fees, Federal and FCC taxes. The flat-rate plans are as follows:

1-User: $39.99/mo4-User: $23.99/mo/ext10-User: $21.99/mo/ext20-User: $19.99/mo/ext50-User: $19.99/mo/extExtra Extensions: $24.99/mo

Usage-Based Plans:

These plans are what Virtual PBX used to pioneer the hosted phone service market. On these original plans you only pay for the minutes used each month. As the plans go up, you receive a larger block of free minutes and the price for additional minutes becomes cheaper. These plans come with unlimited users and all the same features as the flat-rate plans. Virtual PBX has the following usage-based plans:

VPBX-5: $9.99/mo (300 minutes, extra minutes are 6.5 cents/min)VPBX-10: $24.99/mo (600 minutes, extra minutes are 5.8 cents/min)VPBX-20: $44.99/mo (1,000 minutes, extra minutes are 4.7 cents/min)VPBX-50: $94.99/mo (2,500 minutes, extra minutes are 4.4 cents/min

VoIP Phones

Virtual PBX now supports hardware VoIP phones connected to the service. This is a superb addition as now you can make phone calls and show your Virtual PBX caller ID on every outbound call. And you don’t have to use a cellphone or landline to make that outbound call. All you need is an Internet connection. Virtual PBX sells the following phones that arrive pre-configured and ready for use:

Polycom SoundPoint IP 321: $99.99 (single ethernet port)Polycom SoundPoint IP 335: $139.99 (ethernet pass-through port; backlit display)Polycom SoundStation IP 5000: $599.99 (conference phone)

With Virtual PBX there is no need to get phones from one provider, calling plans from another, and features from somewhere else. Get it all in one place. If you are looking for a complete, no-compromise business VoIP solution for your business, Virtual PBX is the answer.

Filed under: ACD queue, auto-attendant, call recording, Call tracking, Call transfers, Call whisper, CallerID, conferencing, follow-me calling, hunt group, mail only extension, music on hold, phone system, virtual receptionist, VoIP Tagged: | caller id, extensions, features, hosted pbx, hosted phone system, IP PBX, IP phones, pbx, phone system, phones, Polycom, SIP VoIP, small business, small business phone system, virtual pbx, Virtual PBX Complete, virtual phone system, virtualpbx, VoIP phones

Hosted VoIP Phone Systems vs. TDM: Who Really Wins on Cost?

The cost savings of a hosted VoIP phone system often comes under scrutiny from some of the remaining providers of TDM, or “traditional”, phone systems. You know the kind, those broom closet phone boxes of yore. Through the use of a narrow lens, they push out misinformation that may lead small business owners to think that a TDM solution will somehow save them money over VoIP.

This is, however, an act of desperation on their part – not a reflection of reality. By choosing the scope of their argument, they can stack Apples v. Oranges and shine a deceptively attractive light on their systems. Zoom the camera out a bit, get the whole picture, and you’ll see why smart businesses have been abandoning TDM solutions in droves for the advantages of hosted VoIP.

The Classic TDM Cost Savings Argument

Let’s start with the argument for a TDM phone system. In a nutshell, these providers cite the benefit of their systems as being the fixed cost to own, e.g. pay for the PBX equipment and the installation, and it’s yours to own for life. They then compare that high fixed cost to a month-to-month hosted VoIP service like FreedomIQ over some extended period, say, 24 months, to say the TDM phone system carries a smaller price tag in the long run. Conversation over, right?

Not even close.

Where the TDM Argument Falls Apart

Hosted VoIP is a managed service, and much of the cost savings is abstract from the direct cost of equipment and ongoing service. Any savvy business owner knows that the price tag they should care about, the real price tag, is one that includes both direct and indirect costs to get the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). With that in mind, here’s what you’re not seeing with a direct business VoIP vs. TDM cost-of-service comparison:

1.  Deprecation of Hardware

TDM PBX equipment, like a car, loses value the minute you deploy it. The notion that you’re going to “own” your PBX isn’t exactly exciting if it doesn’t hold any value 6 – 12 months down the road and you’re back in the market. Worse still, if it breaks down while you “own” it, that means it’s your responsibility to pay to have it fixed or to buy a replacement. Even if you’re covered by a hardware warranty you’ve purchased, that cost needs to be a part of their big picture comparison.

With a hosted VoIP phone system, you’re not dropping capital into hardware that’s going to become obsolete. There’s no buying replacement parts for your wall switch and no risk that a year from now you’re going to be stuck with a 5-figure paperweight. Not to mention the fact that the equipment delivering your hosted service from remote is enterprise-grade and fully-redundant, something you’re not going to get from a comparable TDM solution.

2.  Scaling Up Your Business

TDM phone systems are notoriously inflexible to the growing needs of your business. With this kind of phone solution, you’re likely to fall into one of two camps: the over-paying, or the under-provisioning. That is, you either buy a PBX that is too big for you right now, thinking that you’ll eventually grow into it, or you buy a PBX that meets your short-term needs, understanding that you’ll have to figure something else out should your needs change. Result? You’re paying more than advertised, either right now for the privilege of future expansion, or down the road when the necessity to upgrade your PBX hits you like a ton of bricks.

Hosted VoIP phone systems are scalability machines. By taking your hardware off-premise and having phones interconnect and transmit calls via the Internet, you’re removing the limitation on what size of PBX you can have. You won’t need to overpay for more phones and capacity than you need or buy a brand new PBX within a year because your staff size has grown by 20%. With hosted VoIP, you can add phones to your system at any time and from anywhere with no extra costs to scale.

3.  Paying IT Staff / Maintenance

The coup de grâce. Owning your own TDM PBX again brings the responsibility of management, maintenance, and configuration in-house. That means some percentage of your IT staff budget is getting allocated to making sure your phones are always up-to-date and in working order. Even if you’re talking a tiny fraction (5%) of just one IT employee’s time, you’re talking about thousands of dollars each year to manage your own PBX.

Part of what you’re paying for with a hosted VoIP PBX is, essentially, the outsourcing of this responsibility. We maintain the equipment that provides you with service. We keep your phones updated to the latest firmware. We help you configure your service and troubleshoot your setup with free U.S. technical support. Meanwhile, your IT staff gets to focus on issues more critical to advancing your business, and the money you save (or make) by keeping them on task all but pays for your hosted VoIP phone system.

Be sure to do plenty of research and look at the big picture when considering what type of phone system is right for your business. Look beyond the price tag to what a system provides in flexibility and time saved, as those ultimately lead to keeping dollars in your pocket.

Hosted VoIP Lite: Getting Your Feet Wet

Making the move to a new business phone system can be downright scary. The communications technology that a company chooses has become so critical to business efficiency, that one IT misstep can easily set you back weeks in terms of productivity.

This is just one of the many reasons we’ve seen businesses turn to a hosted VoIP phone system. With hosted VoIP, there’s no big upfront commitment. No massive equipment or servers to finance, no infrastructure changes, no heavy wiring. You are free to try out the system with as small of an initial deployment as you’re comfortable taking on – even just a single phone – before deciding if it’s right for your business.

The Way It Used to Be (Traditional PBX)

Before the days of hosted VoIP, your IT decision maker’s best friend was research. They’d spend hours reading white papers, watching presentations, or attending webinars on why they should choose one PBX vendor over another. The prospect of trying out a phone system live on your premise with little to no commitment was laughable. There was simply too much that needed to be done to get it to work, and no vendors that would do that work without expecting to be paid in full.

It’s not the vendor’s fault, really, but a problem in on-premise technology itself. All premise-based PBX systems require equipment and wiring that takes a solid investment of time and money. If things don’t work out, whether the technology simply isn’t a good fit, the service isn’t reliable, or the customer support is lacking — it’s too late. You’ve already signed on the dotted line and there’s no going back.

But over the past few years, hosted VoIP has changed the game. Speculative research and sales fluff has given way to live on-site demonstrations, demo phones, and the advent of the phased-in VoIP phone system.

The Phased-In VoIP Phone System

As businesses become more savvy about VoIP phone system technology, we’re seeing more and more opting to get started with a small set of VoIP phones (or even just one). These phones use your business’s existing data connection, requiring no invasive wiring, no premise hardware, and can be up and running in the course of a single visit.

This way, your key players like the head of IT, the CEO, or even a small department can serve as guinea pigs without impacting the day-to-day operation of the entire business. These limited roll-outs can often be fully integrated with your existing business phone system for a seamless phasing-in of phones over time.

And it doesn’t take long. As you experience important factors such as call quality, reliability, potency of features, and ease of use, the decision largely makes itself. If you’re not happy with the technology, it’s easy enough to pull the plug. If you’re confident in the technology, the ability to add new phones anywhere at any time helps you ramp up your deployment to include additional departments and even additional locations.

Are you ready to try hosted VoIP for yourself?  Give our consultants a call at 888-955-3520 to have a risk-free, no-obligation conversation about how you can test out FreedomIQ for yourself with a small deployment.

How to Convince Your Boss to Try Hosted VoIP

IT managers working for an SMB have a tough gig: maximizing the return on every IT dollar spent. With tech budgets shrinking across the nation, there’s an urgent need for every IT product or service a company chooses to deliver higher value at a lower price. Fortunately, this need has resulted in the emergence of a host of cost-effective, productivity-enhancing technologies. Among them, the hosted VoIP phone system leads the charge for smart business communications.

But, if you’re an IT manager, you already knew that. You’ve done your homework. Now it’s time to convince your boss, who may be coming from a different perspective and have different priorities. Here are some tips on how to present a hosted VoIP solution that will get the C-level to sign on the line that is dotted.

1. Easy on Cash Flow

Why not lead with the knock-out punch? Hold the pretty explanations and come out of the gate with the fact that the upfront capital expense of a hosted VoIP PBX is tiny compared to any other professional phone system. For equipment, you’re paying for the cost of your VoIP phones and maybe a couple VoIP routers. There’s no $10k+ box-in-the-wall or clunky on-site server to worry about financing. Hosted VoIP is the professional phone system your boss can afford even if he or she can’t afford a professional phone system.

2. Conserve Your IT Staff Resources

With a managed service like FreedomIQ, you don’t need to squander your precious time wondering what the blinking light on your PBX means. You don’t have to thumb through manuals or search for tech guides online should a phone go on the fritz. Your boss can keep you and your IT staff on business-critical development full-time because you have a hosted VoIP service provider to take care of these things (or prevent them from happening in the first place).

3. No Investment Risk

Remember when we were talking about the minimal investment required (#1) to get hosted VoIP service? Well, not buying that wall switch or server in the first place means you and your boss don’t have to worry about what to do with it a year or two down the road. You know, the time just after its hardware warranty has run out and it’s either a) quickly turning into a steaming pile of junk or b) you’ve outgrown it to the point where it’s practically tinkertoys relative to the needs of your business. Hosted VoIP’s equipment-free nature provides an ease of scalability that saves your boss from the embarrassment of a 4- or 5-figure PBX paperweight.

4. Strong Productivity ROI

Saving money is great, but what about your employees? Won’t somebody think of the employees? Enhanced productivity is where you’ll find that hosted VoIP is no slouch. Even though you’re paying a fraction of the price, you’re getting all of the advanced features and functionality of an enterprise phone system.

You get unlimited local and long distance calling, a professional auto attendant, call forwarding with ACD routing, voicemail service, Internet faxing, web-based settings and call reports – the list goes on. But the real productivity kicker is when you show your boss how FreedomIQ integrates into the programs his or her employees already using, like Outlook and Salesforce CRM. With this feature, FreedomIQ works seamlessly with your existing business environment, helping employees be as efficient as possible.

Virtual PBX Honored to Receive its Seventh Award for Open VoIP Peering

Virtual PBX, the pioneers and market leader of the virtual phone system, was honored to received their seventh award from Technology Marketing Corporation (TMC) for their innovative Open VoIP Peering service. This particular award was presented by TMC’s NGN Magazine, the leading resource for communications service providers.

The NGN Leadership Award recognizes the growth and evolution of applications and services designed for next-generation networks and the enabling technologies that make them possible. Virtual PBX was recognized in the Services category.

“This recognition of Virtual PBX’s Open VoIP Peering service is a testament to the company’s continued commitment to providing customers with innovative solutions that meet their demanding business needs,” said Paul Hammond, CEO of Virtual PBX. “Being selected as an NGN Leadership Award winner is truly a mark of distinction and further validates Virtual PBX’s leadership in the VoIP market.”

So far Virtual PBX has received 3 product of the year awards, 2 leadership awards, 1 Product Innovation award and 1 telephony excellence award for the Open VoIP Peering solution they released in November of 2008. No stranger to winning awards, Virtual PBX’s 7th win comes on the heels of their impressive ‘2010 Best Telecommunications Services in San Jose’ award.

The many accolades that Open VoIP Peering has received truly are a testament not only to the company’s strength and dedication in bringing to market the most innovative product conceivable, but also the products immense popularity with Virtual PBX Customers everywhere.

The Open VoIP Peering Solution stands out from the masses, being the only VoIP solution to allow users to choose which option they like on a call-by-call basis to meet their individual needs. In addition, unlike competitors who charge extra for proprietary digital-enabled phone extensions, with Virtual PBX there is no additional cost for accessing soft phones.

“Virtual PBX was recognized for its exceptional work in advancing NGN services and technologies. Open VoIP Peering has proven exceptional and its innovation has contributed to the transformation of the industry,” stated Rich Tehrani, CEO, TMC. “Congratulations to the entire team at Virtual PBX, and I look forward to more innovations in the coming year.”

The 2010 NGN Leadership Award winners can be found in the May/June 2010 issue of NGN Magazine.