Business phone systems can be purchased from telephone service providers, other manufacturers through their sales networks or through Internet. Most businesses usually need to have several telephones to run their operations and it is neither practical nor necessary to have each telephone connected to the external (service provider's) network. Communication systems containing internally operated switching systems are available that do not require connecting each telephone set to the public telephone network.
Most businesses usually install an internal phone switching system (called "Private Automatic Branch Exchange" or PABX) that provides an interface between internal telephone instrument's network at one end and external telephone services provider at the other. Latest electronically controlled PABX systems are called EPABX systems.
PABX equipment needs to be purchased by business owners along with required number of instruments. Arrangements need to be made to install all equipment at their premises. In addition, some extra outside lines are useful for making and receiving calls to the public telephone network. Businesses with multiple branches can connect their PABXs together with trunk lines.
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Similar services can also be provided by installation of equipment off site at a central provider and delivering services over the public telephone network. This modification is called a hosted PABX. Many local phone companies offer a service in which each extension has a trunk line connected to the telephone company's Central exchange. In addition to telephone sets, extensions such as fax machines, computer modems and many other communication devices can be connected to a PABX.
Modern day business telephone systems are highly complex and expensive. It is therefore better to consult a technical expert to help choose an appropriate system, before making a deal. Some issues that need careful consideration are compatibility with existing equipment and internal network as also compatibility with the service provider's equipment and network. Flexibility for future expansion, ease and availability of professional maintenance and additional or spare components from original equipment supplier are some other important issues.
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