Differences between Virtual PBX, Cloud Hosted PBX Phone Services

Today’s phone services and technology often provide similar services. It may seem at times they are close to being identical. Yet, in reality there are major differences between offerings.

For instance, there are significant contrasts between virtual PBX (News - Alert) and cloud hosted PBX. A virtual PBX is an automated answering service that handles and transmits calls. It is not complete, but is part of a cloud hosted PBX system, according to a recent report from GetVoIP.com, comparing the two offerings.

Virtual PBX systems reroute calls to cell phones, landlines or VoIP extensions. It is achieved through an auto attendant or interactive voice response feature. It does not have call control features or outbound calling.

A cloud hosted PBX is a more complete business VoIP system. It may need to be considered if businesses have more than five to 10 employees or experience higher volumes of calls. Hosted PBX solutions also offer small-to-medium-sized businesses enterprise-level features.

Virtual PBX systems may be cheaper than hosted PBX solutions, but do not offer as much. Still, both are less expensive than traditional PBX systems.

The type of phone system in use by businesses, and its benefits and limitations, was underscored following Hurricane Sandy. Last year’s storm took businesses on the Eastern Coast of the United States weeks to recover. Some providers preserved service throughout the storm and ensuring days. 

When considering phone service, there is also a question about portability of local phone numbers. Security is another concern. Jose Pastor, vice president of product management at RingCentral (News - Alert), said his company uses “proactive monitoring to report abnormal behavior, control fraud, and reduce risk,” according to a recent industry panel discussion reported by GetVoIP.com. To ensure quality of voice service, there also needs to be proactive monitoring. Tools are needed to measure delay, jitter and packet loss. RingCentral sends its employees out to proactively find such problems.

So to take advantage of the best phone service for your business needs, remember to identify current and future requirements, and review what different services offer. The result will be better service at all times.

Edited by Rachel Ramsey