Anavon Technology Group: What Is The Cheapest Option for MI Business Phone Systems? Multi Lines?

Many business owners will agree that a reliable and affordable communications set up is the key to unlocking huge potential. A range of telephone systems ideal for small, medium and big businesses exist including multi-line phones, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) systems, traditional landline services and Unified Communications (UC) among others. However, entrepreneurs are interested in the effectiveness of a system and its ability to increase productivity with less cost, a fact that informs their search for cheap business phones. Fortunately, there is a host of suppliers of different business phone systems ready to provide business owners with their preferred package at an affordable price. Let us analyze a number of phone systems appropriate for different businesses.

Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Systems

VoIP phone systems allow audio transmission over the internet. This means that sound signals from users are converted into digital signals that are then transferred in packets over an internet connection. The benefit of VoIP includes the fact that it makes use of the existing internet infrastructure and may comprise of virtual extension cables, contributing to an orderly office arrangement. Moreover, a VoIP phone system does not require purchase and installation of special software to enable usage, making its integration into business operations simple and affordable. Furthermore, a VoIP system is accessible to all connected devices in the enterprise including smartphones and desktops. This enables business communications to be mobile and flexible. Suppliers of VoIP systems include RingCentral, Cisco, Toshiba, Shore Tel and Vonage. However, the costs of VoIP systems include initial investment, internet, cloud service and administration fees that average to about $40 per month per user.

Traditional Landline Systems

These are analog systems with physical wiring connecting different users in a business premises. A local service provider usually supports them. Many businesses are conversant with the traditional landline communication system and this explains their wide usage even to date. It is important to note that hybrids between VoIP and traditional landline phones have been developed to enable linkage with a business’ data network in a highly digitized business environment. Despite these advantages, traditional landlines and related hybrids are getting expensive to operate by the day owing to the shifting attention on more modern phone systems.

Unified Communications (UC)

These systems integrate messaging via chats, telephone services via IP phones, teleconferencing and file sharing among users in a business. Advanced systems provide for speech recognition, sound-to-text transcription and vice versa as well as automated control mechanisms. Therefore, phone lines are not the only feature of UC systems. Nonetheless, UC systems are dependent on high-speed internet connection and high-end technology devices that can be expensive to acquire and maintain. Different vendors including Avaya, Cisco, Microsoft and IBM charge an average of $950 per license per annum.

Multi Line Systems

These are also referred to as telephone switchboard systems. Multi Line phone systems range from traditional simple key to modern hybrid systems with internet connectivity capabilities. They are a merger between analogue systems and digital telephony making them more cost effective, flexible and easy to set up. However, Multi Line phone systems come in different types suitable for different businesses. These include:

1. Key Telephone systems, which allow a user to select either an outgoing or an incoming call with the touch of a button. However, this system has a single telephone number with no extensions and is suitable for small enterprises with a limited number of users concentrated in one building.

2. Private Branch Exchange (PBX) system, which is an improvement of the Key Telephone system. PBX system incorporates modems and allows usage in several locations. PBX is ideal for larger businesses as they allow for extension numbers that act as multiple phone lines without the need for installation of separate lines.

3. Multi Line Hybrid Phone systems combine the Key Telephone and VoIP systems, allowing for long-range calls over the internet. Multi Line systems are available from several vendors including Cisco, Grasshopper, 8×8, RingCentral and Fonality at prices from $10-$30 per month. The underlying advantage of Multi Line phone systems over others is that they can be adjusted to reflect the business needs as a business grows, making them the most attractive systems to many business owners. Moreover, they are the most efficient and cheap business phones available in the market for all types of businesses.

In conclusion, the PBX Multi Line phone system is one of the best options for quality communication in a business aiming to improve its productivity without breaking the bank.