When searching for the perfect phone system for your place of business, it is important to note that there are three different forms of commercial phone systems for you to select from. By understanding the features of each of these types of systems, you will be better prepared to select the one that best meets the needs of your company, your employees and your customers.

PBX Systems

One of your options will be to install a PBX system. This is generally the best option if your company has more than 40 employees or if you need to have a system with advanced functionality. In the past, installing one of these systems involved having a large telecom cabinet that could take up quite a bit of space. Thanks to advancements in technology, however, these systems can now be installed without taking up much room. In fact, it is possible to have a PBX system rest on a desktop.

PBX systems generally come with a number of different features as part of the standard package, which means you likely will not have to pay extra for features such as voice mail or auto attendant features. PBX systems are usually completely programmable as well, which means they are capable of supporting the most complex communication implementations. Of course, you will pay extra for the added flexibility a PBX system provides, but the price difference between these systems and other types of systems generally is less than you may expect it to be.

Key Systems

Key systems are generally best suited to businesses with 5 to 40 employees. A central control device, which is called a key system unit (KSU), is used to provide extra features that are not generally available with ordinary telephones. In addition, a central unit makes it possible for users to make calls to other extensions that are included in the phone system while also preventing other users from picking up a line that is already in use. Most of today's key systems come standard with a number of different features that most businesses need, but these systems may be less customizable than a PBX system.

There are some technical differences between how key systems and PBX systems function, but advances in technology have decreased the differences between the two systems. In fact, many of today's key systems include features that were once exclusively found on PBX systems. In addition, some systems utilize software from both systems, which has lead to a sort of hybrid phone system that combines the characteristics of both systems.

Key systems and PBX systems must be installed by a professional and require professional maintenance. In addition, all outside telephone lines and inside extensions must connect to a PBX or KSU cabinet when utilizing one of these systems. As a result, wiring and configuring these systems can be quite costly. In addition, unless your current phones are relatively new, you will likely need to purchase new phones in order to make certain they are compatible with the system's central unit.

KSU-less Systems

KSU-less Systems are generally best for companies with less than 10 employees. These systems are capable of providing many of the same features found with other commercial phone systems, but at a much lower cost. In addition, there is no need to install a central cabinet because the actual phones contain the technology that is necessary to allow them to communicate with one another.

Since you do not have to permanently wire KSU-less systems into the office, they can be easily unplugged and moved to any other location or sold if necessary. In this way, the phones in a KSU-less system can be treated just as you would treat any other piece of office equipment.

Although KSU-less phones do not need to be wired to your office, it is important to make certain the phones are compatible with the type of wiring that you are using in the office as well as any other accessories, such as modems and answering machines. In addition, you should be prepared to install, program and maintain these systems on your own, as these systems generally are not supported by telecom vendors. If you are uncomfortable with overseeing your phone system on your own, you might want to go with a KSU or PBX system instead.

Another downside to KSU-less phones is the fact that they are more prone to crosstalk, which occurs when conversations among different users bleed into each other. Since the cost of KSU, PBX and hybrid systems continues to drop, many businesses prefer to spend the extra cash to purchase one of these systems in order to avoid the problems associated with KSU-less systems.

Author's Bio: 

Norm Silver is the marketing adminstrator for Comtech Phones. We specialize in business phone systems.