IP telephone system is confidently entering the sphere of corporate communications, and there is a great growth of interest in IP telephone from small and medium-sized businesses. But since this technology is relatively young, many potential customers still do not have a clear idea of what benefit IP telephony can bring to their company. Quite often we hear about such a dialogue:

We need IP telephony. OK, and for what exactly do you want to use it?

“Well… we do not know yet.” To keep up with progress.

So, in order not to lag behind the progress, let’s try to determine the main tasks that can be solved with the help of IP telephony to small and medium-sized businesses. Understanding these tasks will help you to more accurately formulate your needs when choosing equipment.

• Receiving external lines over IP
• Intercity savings
• Connecting extensions over IP (usually remote)
• Networking of several automatic telephone exchanges
• Additional service of modern IP PBXs

Now let us consider the communication tasks solved with the help of IP telephony in more detail

1. External lines by IP.

VoIP trunk is a virtual communication channel between the operator’s IP PBX and the client equipment (IP PBX, IP phone, softphone, VoIP gateway) operating over the IP network and being analogous to digital lines E1 PRI .

IP trunk is used to make outgoing calls and receive incoming calls, as well as on a regular phone. Connecting a VoIP trunk allows you to create a single multi-channel phone number (or several phone numbers). You can connect IP trunks without an incoming number and use them only for outgoing calls. Typically, this option is cheaper. IP trunks do not require physical laying of telephone lines, which greatly simplifies the connection process and reduces its time.

It is not necessary for an IP trunk to be connected that the client has an IP PBX installed . Operators can install IP gateways, at the output of which the client receives conventional analog telephone lines, which they can use at their own discretion-to bring them to their PBX or simply connect telephone sets to them. However, it is more efficient to connect such lines directly to your IP PBX, without intermediate VoIP gateways.

In case of moving to another office, the phone number remains unchanged. A prerequisite is only to connect to an Internet channel with sufficient bandwidth.

2. Savings on the intercity.

Avaya Telephone System Installation can be benefitial for businesses and best for long-distance and international calls, as well as for calls to mobile phones, provides significant savings due to lower tariffs compared to traditional telephony operators. In addition, all modern mini-PBXs have the function of routing outgoing calls, which allows you to automatically send calls to specific numbers on the lines with the lowest tariffs.

3. Internal IP subscribers.

They are terminals. Today, the most common sphere of application is the organization of remote workplaces . And the distance does not matter, the main thing is to have an Internet channel with sufficient bandwidth.

It can be:

• branches with a small number of employees
• temporary jobs (for example, a temporary sales office)
• outlets
• warehouses
• home offices
• employees working remotely or on business trips

In this case, as a rule, IP subscribers have full access to the functions of the main IP PBX.

4. Networking with a single numbering of several PBXs over IP channels

The connection can be made both via the Internet and through the LAN. If you have several objects (for example, an office, a store, a warehouse, a branch) and each of them requires the installation of a separate PBX (for example, to connect to each of them existing analog external lines), all these IP PBXs unite into a single network with a common numbering . You can call or switch the call to the extension number of any other PBX. Because the call will be made via IP telephony over the Internet, it will be free (or rather, only for the transmitted traffic). It is desirable for such a connection to organize VPN (Virtual Private Network).

5. Additional service

Another advantage of modern IP technologies is the provision of various additional services: Intelligent routing of incoming and outgoing calls, flexible management of both common and individual call settings.

• IVR – interactive multi-level voice menu
• Auto attendant
• Voice mail
• Recording conversations
• Video communication support
• Integration with various software – CRM, ERP, databases, accounting software, etc.
• Possibility to organize your own Call-center