KSU, PBX and VoIP – Which Office Phone System Is Best For You?

Businesses can choose from different business phone solutions based on their requirements, budget and preferences. There are so many options ranging from KSU to PBX and VoIP. However, the most advanced is VoIP, which offers advanced functionality with all the features present in Key Service Utility systems and Private Branch Exchange systems. VoIP is a cloud-based solution, and this feature makes it more powerful, economical and versatile.

Determining The Best Office Phone Systems

KSU, PBX, and VoIP are all the most powerful telephone systems for small businesses. People have no clue which one to choose, as they all come with power-packed features for small businesses. It is recommended to research all the options and choose the most versatile, modern options that are full of features. Let us briefly understand these three options in this blog post.

Power-packed features for small businesses

Ksu Or Key Service Utility System

Key service utility system is the most straightforward phone system available for offices and businesses. It is a landline-based solution to handle a limited number of phone lines. These systems have basic features like call hold, speakerphone, intercom and paging. The drawback is that it is an expensive option and has minimal features for offices and small businesses.

Minimal features for offices and small businesses – Ariatech

Pbx Or Private Branch Exchange

Another very versatile option for business phone solutions is PBX or on-premise private branch exchange. It has more advanced features and functionalities than its previous contender, KSU, and hence, it is more popular than the former. The top features to expect in PBX office phone systems are conferencing, auto-attendant, music on hold, dial by name, directory, etc. A major advancement compared to KSU systems is that one PBX line can handle several business locations and regulate more lines. It comes with the facility to make and receive calls, and other top features include call routing, call queuing, conference calling, auto attendant, music on hold, etc.

PBX office phone systems – Ariatech

The drawback is that it is more expensive than KSU due to the physical hardware requirements. Moreover, a fully dedicated IT team is needed to control, maintain, and handle your office’s PBX system.

Voip Or Voice Over Internet Protocol

Voice over Internet Protocol technology is also called hosted or cloud-based PBX. It has some out-of-the-box benefits like being very easy to use, improved privacy, automatic call routing, and, most importantly, it is less expensive and a more modern system than KSU and PBX. VoIP phone systems offer several features, and businesses can take advantage of them based on their requirements and preferences. A detailed list of more than 40 features of VoIP phone systems is present below.

• Advanced Call Management
• Call Routing
• Anonymous Call Rejection
• Auto Attendant
• Business Text Messaging
• Call Analytics
• Call Forwarding
• Call Notify
• Call Park
• Call Presence
• Call Pulling
• Call Queues
• Call Recording and Rating
• Call Screening
• Call Transfer
• Conference Bridge
• Custom Music on Hold
• Custom Ringback
• DND
• Extension Dialling (number change)
• Find Me/Follow Me
• Free Local Phone Number
• Hot Desking
• Instant Messaging
• IVR
• Mobile App
• Number Porting (keep existing phone numbers)
• Online Fax
• Priority Alerts
• Push to Talk
• SIP Trunking
• Softphone
• Speed Dial
• Three-way Calling
• Toll-Free Number
• Upgrade Options
• Voice Calls
• Voicemail
• Voicemail Forwarding
• Voicemail Greetings
• Voicemail to Email
• Voicemail to Text
• VoIP Caller ID
• Video Conferencing
• VoIP Switchboard

A Quick Guide on How to Choose the Best VoIP Service Provider

Business phones are transforming and advancing every single day. The latest technology used in business phone solutions is VoIP or voice-over-Internet protocol, and businesses are swiftly shifting from traditional phone systems to advanced VoIP phone solutions. The problem that most businesses face is related to choosing the right service provider. This blog post discusses the concept of VoIP and its benefits, and lastly, we will also go through some essential tips on selecting the best service provider.

Concept of VoIP and its benefits

What Is Voip?

VoIP or Voice over Internet Protocol is a term that describes Internet phone services. This is an advanced version and completely different from the traditional phones and landline phones that we have been using till now. VoIP-based office phone systems use high-speed Internet connections or Wi-Fi to take and make calls. This concept comes with a massive list of benefits, and some are listed below.

• Lower Costs
• Increased Accessibility
• Complete Portability
• Higher Scalability
• Advanced Features For Small And Large Teams
• Clearer Voice Quality
• Supports Multitasking
• More Flexibility With Softphones 

VoIP-based office phone systems use high-speed Internet – Ariatech

Businesses can enjoy a lot of flexibility and freedom by opting for VoIP-based telephone systems. It has made it easy for every business of any size to save money from business phone solutions. Perhaps the most impressive feature of VoIP-based telephone systems is that it is ideal for small companies as well and scaled as per the company’s growth. Amidst this, it is essential to choose the right service provider because not doing this can become a severe challenge for any company. This service provider is responsible for providing the much-needed Internet connection or bandwidth to power all VoIP-based office phone systems. Any power outage or Internet disconnection will influence the telephone systems, and this is another essential factor to determine while choosing the VoIP service provider.

How To Choose The Best Service Provider For Voip Telephone Systems?

A huge list of service providers is available to select the best VoIP service provider. This makes selection more complicated and complex as every company claims to be the best. It is recommended not to rely upon the least expensive service provider as there will surely be compromise on the quality. A quick checklist is presented here to help you choose the best service provider.

Select the best VoIP service provider – Ariatech

Cost Of Local And International Calls

Experts recommend considering the cost of local and international calls while shortlisting service providers for VoIP telephone systems. You must understand that service providers have different plans for outward international calls, and while selecting, you must consider the geographic location of your customers and choose a service provider based on this.

Features Offered In Voip Plans

It is equally important to consider the features of the VoIP plan while selecting a service provider. Ideally, you should focus only on service providers offering features that your business needs the most. But at the same time, there is nothing bad in choosing a service provider that provides the most features at the lowest prices.

Cloud–Based Phone Systems – Changing Office Communication Culture

Businesses are still very confused about using cloud-based business phone solutions. They have many questions in mind regarding what they are and how they are better than traditional business phone systems. We dedicate this post to understanding cloud-based phone solutions and some top benefits businesses can avail. Let us start with the definition.

What Is A Cloud-Based Business Phone Solution?

Cloud-based phone systems are a service that allows you to make calls over the Internet and store data in the cloud. This arrangement is highly cost-effective and reliable, but you will need a strong Internet connection to use them. Cloud-based telephone systems are getting increasingly popular among all phone systems available for small businesses. The reason is that they offer reliable, low cost and efficient services with a vast range of business-friendly features.

Cloud-based telephone systems – Aria Technologies

They work entirely differently from traditional analogue phones, and a very impressive feature is that they can be implemented via many devices, such as conventional phones with adaptors, smartphones with apps, computers with calling software or VoIP-enabled phones.

What Are The Pros Of Cloud-Based Office Phone Systems?

Cost–Saving

Studies say that businesses that switch to cloud-based telephone systems can save more than 50% of their expenditure on these business phone solutions. Cloud-business phone solutions and service providers charge less per minute for international calls than traditional PSTN phone connections.

Business cloud-based Telephone systems

Because the Internet powers cloud-based phones, you do not incur long-distance charges for international calls. In fact, long-distance and international calls are included as a ‘free’ feature in most cloud office phone systems packages.

Unified Communication

Another feature of cloud-based telephone systems is that you get a unified communication solution to consolidate your business phone system and several other services needed at your office. You can enjoy benefits like –

•          Voicemail

•          Instant Messaging

•          Chat

•          Video Conferencing

•          Fax

•          Email

•          Social Media

•          Several CRM Tools

Video Conferencing Becomes Very Smooth

With cloud-based telephone systems, video conferencing has become the most used communication method. Remote working culture has gained more power in the last couple of years, and in this situation, cloud-based business phone solutions allow teams working remotely to collaborate and communicate efficiently.

Video conferencing phone solutions – Aria Technologies

Features, Features and Features

Cloud-based phone systems have many features for businesses to use in their day-to-day operations.

The most used are –

•          Call Forwarding

•          Call Routing

•          Auto Attendant

•          IVR

•          Call Analytics

•          CRM Integration

•          Voicemail To Email

•          Video Conferencing

•          Number Porting

•          Click To Call And Many More

What Office Telephone Systems Are Available For Aussie Businesses?

Smarter gadgets and cool software are insufficient to run a business successfully and communicate with clients, contractors and service providers. You will require business phone services, and in their absence, you will surely struggle to compete with your competitors. Business phones are of different types, and a major challenge is of picking the best one for your business. Here is a guide with information on phone system types, their features, pros, cons, etc.

Business phones are of different types – Ariatech

What Types Of Phone Systems Are Available For Business Owners?

Businesses can rely upon six different types of office phone systems for day-to-day usage.

•          Landline Phone Systems

•          Mobile Networks

•          Virtual Phone Services

•          Self-Hosted VoIP

•          Cloud-Based VoIP

•          Hybrid Phone Systems

Let us get a brief overview below.

What Are Landline Telephone Systems?

This is a tried and tested option and has been in use for decades. This version of telephone systems is ideal if this is just the early stage of your business. The top features are quality and reliability, but the problem is that there are no such features like document sharing, image sharing, large data file sharing and so on.

Business Phone top features and quality – Ariatech

How Are Mobile Networks Used In Business Phone Services?

This is one level above traditional cable-based landline telephone systems and uses smartphones and similar mobile devices. According to the vendors of business phone services, this system is also ideal for smaller enterprises where the number of employees is not too high. It involves getting a cellular service provider subscription, and the charges are applicable for international calls, long-distance calls, data plans, international roaming and so on.

What Are Virtual Phone Services?

This version of office phone systems is hugely popular among small and micro-sized enterprises. With the concept of virtual business phone services, the existing landlines can be diverted to designated phone numbers, and this extends business phones available to remote and mobile workers as well. They can be connected to the designated office site, and based on your requirements, some service providers can also provide virtual receptionist services.

Concept of virtual business phone services – Ariatech

What Is Self-Hosted Voip?

VOIP stands for voice over Internet protocol, and it is a telecommunication technology based on digital data transfer. It allows for easier integration of desk-based and mobile phone equipment. These software-based telephone systems are considerably more cost-effective than those discussed above. The concept of self-hosted VOIP involves having an IP-PBX system installed at the office. An experienced IT department will be needed to handle installation, maintenance, upgrading, etc.

What Is Cloud-Based Voip?

According to the vendors of business phone services, this is the most advanced and popular version of office phone systems. This VOIP system is hosted and managed by third-party service providers, and the biggest benefit is the reduction in expenses. You will not have to install hardware or all other services, and maintenance-related costs will also get eliminated. Depending on the business’s requirements, systems can be scaled up and down easily and just like the VOIP system, this one is also a very cost-effective deal.

Advanced and popular version of office phone systems

Useful Methods Related To Cyber Security in Your Business

With the advancement of technology, the threats on the cyber world too are increasing with every coming day. These threats have become way more serious than what they were a decade back with the advent of malware like PEGASUS and hence, a cyber security software has become mandatory for every business. These softwares work exceptional well but apart from them, with a little smartness and sharp presence of mind, you can minimize the risk associated with these threats and attacks. Here in this blog post, let us have a look at some of the top steps that a business phone set-up should take in association with these cyber threats.

Use a Passphrase to Create Strong Passwords

Check points software work really well when they work in combination with a strong password because both are extremely crucial for cyber security. Cracking passwords is now programmed in these different malwares and when they work, they can crack almost any kind of password from even the most secure servers. Therefore, experts recommend using a different approach regarding setting up these passwords and this mainly involves using phrases that only you could remember.

Then, you can also use tools like OnlineDomainTools to see how strong your password is.

Manage Your Passwords

Setting up a strong password is job half done because the remaining part is managing these strong passwords and this is useful because this management will allow you to manage the passwords from one central location. This management is no longer limited to using a sticky note on the desktop and includes so many other things like –

• Use a Password Management Site
• Use a Secure Spreadsheet
• Use a USB Security Key

Apart from these three options, a very handy and useful method is using a USB key like Google’s Titan Security Key.

Apart from these, there are other useful methods as well like not delaying at all in resisting phishing attacks and staying extra cautious and careful while working on public networks.

Especially for businesses requiring features such as a VPN, firewall security, user management, Quality of Service or others. This requires replacing the basic ISP supplied router with one of business grade routers we supply. The role of machine learning in unified communications security is expanding rapidly due to its utility in performing security processes which would previously have required human intervention.

Features That Make VoIP Phone Systems Better Than Desk Phones

So much of discussion is there all over the Internet regarding the differences between VoIP and desk phone system and how technology is slowly improving these desk phones to bring them in the league of VoIP. Yes, they too have seen a lot a advancement, but unfortunately, couldn’t compete with VoIP because the features in this, latest technology are way too much and advanced as compared to desk phones. Let us quickly go through some features of VoIP that has contributed a lot in this technology leaving desk phones way behind.

VoIP Phone Systems Don’t Need Expensive Copper Wire

VoIP-based office phone system run on the power of high speed Internet connection and this means that if Ethernet wiring is already there in your office, no additional wiring would be required to make these phones run.

The only steps you will have to take is registering yourself to VoIP phone system account. Just with this step, you are all set to take the step of making and receiving calls on your office based telephone systems. Some VoIP providers support IP phone booting for certain VoIP phones, which speeds up the phone registration process using a boot server.

Look Just Like Regular Phones

The hardware used to run this technology of VoIP is no different to the hardware used in running desk phones, but yes, the technology is different and so is the software and both of them are much, much advanced. In other words, with some minor modifications, you will able to use the present landline phones as VoIP based phone systems. The modifications needed are that the VoIP phones have dedicated buttons for redial, transfer, conference, hold, mute, voicemail, and speaker phone.

Multiple VoIP Phone “Lines”

Office phone systems that run on the power of VoIP handle calls differently as compared to normal desk phones. For example – VoIP phones allow you to pick between current, incoming, and held calls using the toggle buttons. This is something, you will very rarely experience with office based desk phones.

Cloud System Based Business Phones and Their Benefits

The business communication solutions have been undergoing through rapid evolutions and getting better with every coming day. Now there are VoIP solutions followed by ICT solutions and also cloud systems and all of them have their unique features to benefit the business. The latest of them all is the cloud solutions that have benefitted businesses in a number of ways because of the features it has got. Here in this blog post, we will go through the definition of this rather new technology and how it benefits your business.

What Is A Cloud-Based Phone System?

Phones running on the power of cloud systems basically use the power of the Internet protocol for making and taking calls. In these solutions, the voice received by the system is treated as a data uploaded and that is to be transferred to the other end in real time. The term, “cloud” is added because all the data you send or receive via this medium is stored online and because of this, there would be no communication issues at all.

What Are The Benefits Of Cloud System Based Business Phones?

Cost Savings

According to the dealers of ICT solutions, with the help of cloud system business phones, you will be able to save a significant amount of money from phone bills. The reason is that the entire system is Internet based and this is something that is available in abundance. Another factor that helps you save money is that there would be no set-up fee as we have to pay in other kinds of business phone systems.

No Special Hardware Required

Another benefit is that you will not require any additional hardware for the setting up of could systems. This means that no hassles at all and moreover, no additional expenses. All you would require is the Internet connection and telephone systems that can be upgraded to be used as cloud system based phone calls.

Additional Benefits Include –

• Mobile, Remote & Easy To Switch Office Locations
• High Security
• Easy Administration
• Scalability 
• Integration
• No Or Very Less Downtime

Factors That Will Help You Select the Right Cloud Systems

Long term communication strategy is very important for a business and for a business to be successful in the competition, it is very important that timely decision is taken. In terms of robust communication solutions, for ages now, we have relied upon cloud systems or cloud based solutions because of the benefits they offer. There are several benefits of using these cloud solutions and to avail all of them, using the best solution becomes mandatory. This is something very easy to do provided that you follow the tips discussed here in this post.

The right features for your business needs

According to the vendors of ICT solutions, the best tip related to using these cloud systems is that you will have to choose the right features needed by your business. Selection of the features is possible and for this, you will only have to assess what your business needs and what you expect to do using these cloud systems.

Solutions like unified communications combine team messaging, video conferencing and cloud phone into a single app, where employees can effortlessly switch between features.

A Cost-Effective Solution

At the same time, it is very important that you choose a cost-effective Cloud solution without compromising on the quality. Remember that in the post Covid-19 pandemic era, cost or the expenses related to communication have become a very important driving factor and is influencing the selection of a service provider. In this regards, vendors of ICT communications consider it really useful to evaluate every facet of a provider to ensure an eventual return on investment.

Scalability and Flexibility

The next feature to look for is the scalability followed by flexibility and there could nothing better than determining these two factors. The reason is that once a business is established, it will surely grow and when this growth is witnessed, the feature of scalability would come in very handy. In case there is no scalability, revamping would be required and this is something not possible financially as wells physically.

Why VoIP Is so Popular As Office Phone Systems?

Different kinds of phone systems have emerged in the scenario to simplify business communication, but not all of them are equally good. Amidst all of them, one that is of really high quality and at the same time, very affordable is the VoIP office phone system. The fact is that when implemented after careful planning, it can be one of the most important and money-saving element for your business. Here in this post, we have come up with a guide that contains everything about these VoIP phone systems.

What is VoIP

The term VoIP is used to define the process of Internet-based calling that is done using third-party apps like WhatsApp, Skype, Zoom meeting and so on. All of them require a good quality Internet connection that is available in abundance these days. VoIP stands for Voice Over Internet Protocol and this technology involves the use of the Internet to make calls through normal telephone systems. When a call is made, the sound is converted into digital signals that transfer really fast in a very high quality and received well as well.

One of the biggest features of this technology is that it can cut down expenses significantly because with it, you will not need a dedicate phone system that comes at a cost.

Why VoIP is popular now days?

Several reasons have contributed to this and some reasons behind the popularity of VoIP as phone systems are presented here.

• Cuts down the telephone bills because VoIP call rates are much cheaper
• Better call quality because the voice technology used by any VoIP Video calling system is a High Definition or HD voice technology
• Business operations are scaled
• Enhances efficiency and the productivity of any employee
• Can be easily configured unlike traditional phones
• VoIP PBX works much better than the traditional-on premise-PBX systems

Tips on Finding the Best Managed Service Provider for Office Phone Systems

The IT department of every business is under immense pressure all the time and this is mainly because the communication system of modern-day businesses relies a lot upon it. The phone systems of the entire business run on VoIP technology that runs through the medium of the Internet and this means that the Internet speed has to be superfast and constant. For this, it is important that the MSP or the managed service provider you are choosing operates professionally and is on a standby all the time for any issue. At the time of selection of the managed service provider, you need to look for the following features or characteristics.

Business Fit

According to the vendors of office phone systems, the managed service provider should be the one who makes you feel comfortable while dealing with them. The company chosen for the same should show its capability in understanding your business’s requirements and also in offering the same without any compromise upon the quality.

You should not mind checking their business reputation in the markets by checking with their existing and former customers.

Stability

In terms of functioning of business telephone systems, stability is the key and for this, background check is a must at the time of selecting the right MSP.

In this regards, experts recommend availing the services of credit checking agencies as often they come up with a good overview of the financial health as well as business’s reputation in the markets.

Communications

It is important at the time of selection that the service provider commits about holding regular progress meetings and routine examinations of the performance.

In this regards, they should be very clear regarding when progress meetings will take place and who is to attend them and also the penalties and benefits of not meeting or exceeding performance metrics.