Although almost every communication is now done online, around 90% of people still want to speak to company representatives over the phone. Hence, business phone systems continue to be essential. Choosing which one to install, meanwhile, will depend on the size of your business and how many extensions you will require. There are four main types of business phone systems available: VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol), KSU-less phones, PBX (Private Branch Exchange), and key systems. Each of these has its own set of features, benefits, and drawbacks that you must familiarize yourself with in order to choose the right one for your business.

The Four Most Common Business Phone Systems to Choose From:

1.) Key Business Phone Systems

Key phone systems use a KSU (key system unit) in order to operate. They have a number of features that ordinary phones cannot offer. For instance, they allow for calls to different extensions, and but they only permit one user to be on hold. The systems can support between five and 40 extensions, which is why they are popular with SMEs (Small to Medium Enterprises). In terms of cost, you can expect to pay between $350 and $1,000 for every user on the system. The more features it has, the more expensive it becomes.

2.) PBX Business Phone Systems

If you require more advanced functionality and need at least 40 extensions, then the PBX business phone systems are more suitable. Previously, these systems used up a lot of space. Fortunately, advancements in technology have resulted in modern PBX systems being able to fit on or under a desk, without losing any features. Some PBX systems can be fully programmed. The cost is between $800 and $1,000 for each user. They are popular with larger organizations, although some SMEs with 100 employees are also turning to them.

3.) KSU-Less Business Phone Systems

Then, there are the KSU-less systems, which can take no more than 10 extensions. The primary advantage of these systems is that they don’t have to be wired into an office permanently. Instead, they are mobile and can be taken to different places. Some of the modern KSU-less systems now come with advanced features, which are also available on PBX and key systems. As a result, they are the perfect solution for smaller organizations with less than 10 employees. Usually, a system costs between $130 and $225 per user. It is therefore a very affordable solution, but this means that many telecom vendors do not support it, as they can’t make a lot of profit on it. Hence, you have to find the system yourself and install, program, and maintain it yourself.

4.) VoIP Business Phone Systems

Last but not least, there is the VoIP system, which is one of the newest solutions. The term “VoIP” is now used quite commonly to described a package-switched connection that can be used to transmit various forms of information, including fax and voice. This new technology is now very popular with organizations of any size, because it is scalable and affordable, comes with a lot of different and useful features, and is very easy to use.