What is hosted PBX, and how can it benefit your business?

“What makes Hosted PBX (HPBX) unique, especially for small to midsize businesses, is that it provides a sophisticated system with all the bells and whistles, without the high cost of traditional PBX."

Jamie Arvig | Technical Consultant | Nextera Communications

Hosted PBX may sound like high-tech jargon to anyone unfamiliar with it. But to those who use it, Hosted PBX is the ideal solution for small to medium size businesses.

So what exactly is it? To break it down, PBX = Private Branch Exchange (a telephone switching system used within a company). Hosted = a PBX that's hosted in a service provider's data center. Translation? It's a phone system that runs voice over the Internet, transmitting outbound and inbound calls to multiple employees working for a given business. Hosting is performed by a service provider like Nextera Communications.

So how can your business benefit from HPBX?

What makes Hosted PBX (HPBX) unique, especially for small to midsize businesses, is that it provides a sophisticated system with all the bells and whistles, without the high cost of traditional PBX. When you have HPBX, there aren't any on-site hardware requirements because all of the functionality is administered on a centralized platform hosted by your company's business phone service provider. Plus there aren't any start-up costs, you don't have to sacrifice features to keep costs low, and installation is a turn-key process.

HPBX reduces operating expenses because there are no maintenance or upgrade costs. If an issue comes up, your provider troubleshoots and resolves the problem without charging extra fees since all software upgrades are included in the service costs. This ensures there are no surprises when your accountant pays the monthly bill.

In addition to its price benefits, HPBX systems nurture business productivity with innovative feature offerings like Unified Call Messaging (UCM). With UCM, you receive voicemail, fax, and email in single or multiple locations. If someone leaves a voicemail at your office, it's instantly delivered to your email inbox and can be played by almost any device.

Another popular feature is called "Find Me, Follow Me." This allows you to provide just one number to customers and co-workers because the system will automatically ring all of your phones, finding you wherever you are so you never miss a call.

Ideal for remote employees, HPBX has a conferencing feature that can bring together employees across the state or country in a single call. It streamlines communication and simplifies the process, saving company time and preventing miscommunication. And at Nextera, we also provide a unique website portal called MyNextera that allows companies to configure features and functions right online.

Another benefit with HPBX is geographical independence. Remote phones and offices can be linked to your corporate office, and free 4-digit dialing and calling eliminate long-distance costs. Virtual Phone Numbers (VPNs) also expand your reach by providing local phone numbers in areas across the country where a national or regional presence outside of your physical building address is needed.

But that's not all. With HPBX, your company can enhance their image via big business features that include music on hold, auto attendant, and HD voice services. You can also create customized messages designed to educate callers on hold about your company and products, or upload customized music that entertains clients as they wait. The efficiency and professionalism of the HPBX phone system creates an efficient and professional company image while providing your business with the time and freedom to focus on what matters most - building the customer base, realizing your company vision and achieving success.