PBX Telephone Systems

PBX Telephone Systems: The term PBX was even used when phone operators ran company switchboards by hand. As automated electromechanical and then electronic switching systems began to replace the manual systems, the terms PABX (Private Automatic Branch eXchange) and PMBX (Private Manual Branch eXchange) were used to differentiate them. Today, the term PBX is by far the most widely recognised. The acronym is applied to all types of complex, in house telephony switching systems, even if they are not Private, Branches, or eXchanging anything.

PBX telephone systems operate as a connection between a private organisation (e.g. businesses) and the public switched telephone network (PSTN). Because they incorporate telephones, fax machines, modems, and more, the general term "extension" is used to refer to any end point on the branch. The PBX handles calls between these extensions as well as connections to the PSTN via trunk lines.

PBX telephone systems differentiate from "key systems" in that users of key systems manually select their own outgoing lines, while PBX telephone systems select the outgoing line automatically. PBX users dial an escape code (usually a 9) that connects them to an outside line, followed by the external number. Some modern number systems allow users to dial internal and external numbers without using escape codes.

Originally, the first advantage of PBX telephone systems was cost savings on internal phone calls. As demand for PBX telephone systems grew, they started offering services that were not available, such as call forwarding, extension dialling and hunt groups.

There were two notable developments during the early 1990s that led to new types of PBX telephone systems. One was the massive growth of data networks and increased public understanding of packet switching, plus the availability of the Internet as a global delivery system. These contributing factors led to the development of the VoIP PBX. Technically, nothing was being "exchanged" anymore, but the acronym PBX was so widely known - PBX stayed.

If you would like to find out how a PBX telephone system can work for your business then don't hesitate to call our sales team on free phone 0808 165 86 86.