For many small businesses  — retail stores and offices of fewer than 10 people – adopting a PBX network can seem like overkill. The expense associated with maintaining PBX hardware along with the hassle of installation and administration are often enough to daunt business owners into overpaying for conventional phone service from the phone company, who often has the audacity to charge for intra-office calling if the subscriber doesn’t buy a pbx solution from them.

Small phone systems can easily replace the hodgepodge of lines and phones in an office, translating into savings on line subscription, administration, and calling. By harnessing existing internet bandwidth through a broadband connection, a system integrated with VOIP and even a hosted PBX allows small businesses to realize the economies of scale available to big business. While the initial outlay for equipment will run slightly more than conventional handsets, the availability of flat-rate calling, free inbound and local calling (for a small monthly fee), and the whole suite of features available on conventional  networks, gives the small business the ability to truly compete against larger businesses on the cost front, making it a viable competitor.

Small phone systems are generally based on reliable VOIP technology. While any broadband connection has the bandwidth to handle this application, it is generally advised that the line have the committed information rate (CIR) and quality of service (QoS) to provide stability and clarity to the voice. A high CIR ensures that voice moves at a constant rate down the line and QoS ensures that bandwidth priority is given to voice rather than data. Almost all lines are able to accommodate VOIP in this way (with the exception of some DSL lines), and the voice quality on today’s phones and with today’s technology is actually often better than with conventional phone service.

And although it may be a small phone system, features and usability are usually on par with, if not better than what might be expected from a conventional phone. 3-way calling, call forwarding, call waiting, voicemail, and unlimited extensions make the transition a non-event. And whereas in the past, phone selection was lacking, a new generation of handsets with unique capabilities make it possible for businesses to spend only on phone features they need.

But before making the switch to a small phone system, all businesses should make sure the provider of their solution is reputable – this ensures that they will get a solution that is tailored to their needs, rather than to their ability to pay more.