Choosing a new telephone system for your SME is not easy. To begin with, it is important to make a brief overview of the different parameters:
- Available budget?
- Desired functionalities?
- How many simultaneous calls should the PBX be able to carry?
- What phones do you want to use?
- Management and maintenance costs?
Also keep in mind that your business may grow. The PBX should be able to keep up with this growth quite easily, and certainly not hinder it.
ISDN or VoIP telephone system?
Let's start with the technology you call with. You have roughly 2 choices:
- Digital (ISDN): Popularly known as "traditional calling." However, this technology is outdated and disappearing. As of 2019, almost all telephone exchanges are VoIP exchanges.
- Internet calling (VoIP): Many people know VoIP through Skype. For about 10 years, VoIP has blossomed and this technology is gradually taking over from digital calling. You no longer need a separate phone line and simply call over the Internet. VoIP calls are a lot cheaper, more mobile and more flexible than digital.
Phone system in the cloud or physical?
Once you have determined the technology, you generally have a choice of 2 types of PBXs. Both a physical and a telephone exchange in the cloud.
- On-premise PBX: In this case, the PBX is located within the company. Your PBX can be analog, digital or VoIP. Keep in mind the management and maintenance costs. Note that these can often be high.
- Telephone system in the cloud: With this solution, there is no longer a telephone system on site. It is located in a virtual data center. This therefore eliminates the need for on-site installation and allows you to make VoIP calls using your IP phone, laptop, smartphone and/or tablet.
When is a cloud PBX advantageous?
The on-premise PBX is mostly used by large companies (+250 employees). They have in-house knowledge to manage it and also have the appropriate infrastructure.
A phone system in the cloud is especially interesting for SMEs up to 250 employees because of its low entry level. Management is also a lot simpler and more flexible. You usually pay a fixed monthly amount per user (often between 8 to 10€). This way you don't have to make any investments and you call without worries with a maximum of functionalities.
Our opinion
If you are in need of a new telephone system it is, in most cases, recommended to choose a VoIP system. Digital telephony is outdated and often unnecessarily expensive and complex.
If your company has fewer than 250 employees, we definitely recommend looking at telephony in the cloud. This will save you a lot of money and frustration in most cases.
Buying a new telephone system?
Teamtel is the reference in VoIP and cloud telephony in Belgium. We already help more than 1,200 Belgian SMEs with their telephone system.
Contact us without obligation or schedule your free online consultation.
