Key System

A key system or key telephone system is a multiline telephone system typically used in small office environments. Key was a Bell System term of art for a manually operated switch, such as the line-buttons on the phones associated with such systems. A key systems was originally distinguished from a private branch exchange (PBX) in that it allowed the station user to see and control the calls directly, manually, using lighted line buttons. Key systems are noted for their expandability and having individual line selection buttons for each connected phone line, however some features of a private branch exchange such as dialable intercoms may also commonly be present.

PBX System

PBX is actually an acronym for the term Private Branch Exchange. A Private Branch Exchange (PBX also known as a Legacy PBX) is a telephone exchange that operates a local business or office’s telephony service. In other words, a PBX is the technical term for a phone system. A PBX is used to make connections among the internal telephones of a private organization. Utilizing a PBX a company can save considerable cost savings on internal phone calls. PBX systems handle the circuit switching locally reducing charger for local phone service. Another advantage of utilizing a PBX phone system is that it allows a company to share trunk lines (external lines) for all its employees, maximizing usage of dedicated phone lines.

Why is the Legacy PBX System in Decline?

The emergence of open standards and protocols has created a new model in telephony where customers are increasingly in control. More recently, open source technology, such as Asterisk, has driven real technology innovation and parity between vendor and buyer when it comes to economic relationships. In the legacy market, PBX phone system vendors thrived in a world where they could sell proprietary systems, drive customers to single vendor environments, create customer lock-in via proprietary call control and endpoints, and force high margin phone and system deals on to customers.

IP PBX System

An IP PBX takes the place of the PBX you may already have for your company’s PSTN calls. Like its PSTN cousin, an IP PBX (for private branch exchange) is an electronic switchboard that receives, routes, holds, forwards to voice mail, or otherwise manipulates calls that arrive over the Internet, rather than via the PSTN. It may be fully automatic or have a human receptionist who routes incoming calls from a main IP phone number to internal IP numbers or extensions. Where a PSTN PBX can connect many incoming and internal phone lines through a set of mechanical or electronic switches, an IP PBX will be mechanically simpler, typically either software that resides on a server or a small, independent server that connects with your existing data network.

What are the Advantages of an IP PBX?

An IP PBX provides more efficient switching and a more professional “look” than if everyone in a business has their own separate IP connection and account. It allows phone calls to be forwarded within the company, and for internal voice-mail and conferencing capabilities that might otherwise have to be outsourced. An IP PBX is also much more flexible than a PSTN PBX, allowing an essentially infinite number of extensions and voice-mail boxes, plus desktop management via a Web browser rather than at a set of PSTN switches. They can also enable the recording of incoming and outgoing conversations (subject to legal considerations). IP PBXs, both as software and as physical devices, are relatively inexpensive and can be installed at a suprisingly economical cost for small businesses.

What is Asterisk?

VoIP has changed the face of traditional communications forever. Now another addition into the traditional communications world has arrived, an open source Asterisk® IP-PBX. It has been around for several years, but like VoIP is now becoming mainstream, a go-to choice for a business PBX. Today's advanced open sourced Asterisk® PBX software has been the result of a quiet ongoing nine year revolution. It has been installed and operating on millions of machines and has proved to be stable, customizable, rich with feature sets and a more reasonable priced alternative to traditional PBX companies' products. Backed by the open source community, who are continually advancing applications and writing and adjusting code to keep it up to date, it is a free alternative to the proprietary software that runs traditional PBXs. Like another open source software, Apache, which runs most of today's web servers, Asterisk® has become the choice PBX software and with that choice developed into a viable option for a business phone system

What are the Advantages of an Asterisk Based IP PBX System?

• Lower cost- being an open source software, Asterisk® keeps the price of a system down. And hardware is not vendor specific, which increases choices and further reduces cost. Plus, you don't get charged for each feature like the license charges of traditional PBX manufacturers.
• Features- it comes with numerous features as part of the Asterisk® PBX application. Additional open source feature sets, when developed can be added without additional cost.
• Expandability- If you need an extra extension, just get another IP-phone and add it to the system.
• Branch offices- which can be added to an existing system and connected through an Internet connection. (Again lower cost, with the IP-phones being the cost of hardware.)
• Remote workers- can plug a phone in at home to their Internet connection and be extension dialing. Using a softphone (free) and connect while out on the road.
• An in-house system- signaling will take place over your LAN reducing latency and making for a very stable dependable system.
• Open source- which unlike a PBX manufacturer has a community that is constantly developing, testing and tweaking the software code. And all of this information is shared and accessible.

How Can Our Company Start Using an Asterisk Based IP PBX System?

Well...you've got a great start. AusTex VoIP specializes in installing in-house, VoIP, IP PBX systems. While there are may value added resellers of IP PBX systems out there, our company focuses on the lowest cost method of obtaining and maintaining a full featured IP PBX telephony system. Just give us a call at (512) 600-0990 to get started.