Partner Spotlight: M5 Networks

Hosted IP PBX systems have changed how small and medium businesses use their voice communications. IP PBX systems are becoming less expensive and far more capable than their predecessors. Modern hosted IP PBX systems deliver multination enterprise capabilities to even the smallest of business, often at a cost lower than the far more basic systems they are replacing.

What is a PBX?

A PBX system (Private Branch Exchange) is essentially an automatic switchboard for telephone systems. It provides the same basic function for any business or enterprise that the ranks of telephone operators with handfuls of wiring plugs once performed. Those essential features are to provide switching and connection between any two (or more) telephone users.

Any system that does this automatically for telephone calls within an organization is a PBX. The reason businesses move to PBXs is to avoid requiring that every employee have a direct line to the public telephone system, each of which incurs a connection and a line charge. Instead, a small number of lines get shared by all the users and managed by the PBX.

All IP PBX (Internet Protocol Private Branch Exchange) systems are basically exchange and extension managers for calls based on the internet protocol – also known as VoIP and Internet telephone. The essential advantage they offer to small – to medium sized businesses is the ability to add features that have only been affordable or available to large businesses up to now. VoIP and Internet telephony are usually also more cost effective when looking at long-term operating costs due to lower monthly fees and much lower costs to connect and complete calls.

Hosted vs. On Premise PBX

There are two primary types of PBX solutions for business: hosted IP PBX and premise-based IP PBX. Hosted systems take most of the switching and intelligence of the system and move it offsite to a remote location where it is managed by the service provider (M5 Networks). Equipment at an organization’s site is limited to the phones themselves; some dedicated routing equipment and perhaps a switch to provide connectivity. As a result, hosted systems are usually quicker and cheaper to install and set up.

On premise PBXs require servers and more switches to be located at the business site. The organization also has to be prepared to install, manage and upgrade these systems internally.

Why we choose M5 Networks as our prefered Hosted VoIP Provider for our business and yours

Our choice to use M5 Networks as our phone solution was very simple. Our needs for a phone system were very simple. We wanted a dial tone with simple features such as voicemail, hunt groups and the ability to add and remove lines as needed for a predictable and affordable cost. We did not want to install a phone system nor have to deal with programming fees, etc. M5 was able to provide a complete, robust and most importantly, flexible phone system for a very reasonable cost. M5 has worked great for us and that why we recommend it to you!

Contact M5 Networks today - http://www.m5net.com/contactus.html