With innovations and advances, VoIP is emerging as the leading communications technology and the inevitable “phone system of the future.” Private Branch Exchange (PBX) phone systems have come a long way since their inception. Internet connections and widely-accessible broadband have transformed PBX systems into a data-dependent, digital delivery system for voice and multimedia communications. This new system is called a Voice-over-Internet Protocol network, or VoIP system.
By the end of 2014, experts forecast global IT spending surpassed $3.8 trillion, a 3% hike compared to 2013. Of this growth, researchers believe VoIP solutions represent at least 40%. If businesses sustain such spending habit, the VoIP marketing in particular could reach $80 billion over the next three years.
Common features of VoIP Digital phone systems
- Speed Dial: Useful for frequently called numbers, which can be stored and called by pressing a single number assigned to them.
- Last-Number Redial: A quick way to connect to the most recent caller.
- Auto Attendant: Helpful in routing missed calls, this feature is also called virtual or digital attendant.
- Call Hold: Allows a person on one call to be placed on hold while a second call is answered from the same device.
- Music on Hold: Allows music to be played while a person is on hold.
- DND (Do Not Disturb): Allows incoming calls to be routed to voicemail without disturbing the user.
- Call screening: Similar to DND but with the addition of having live active control over the phone with the ability to answer any call, or not.
- Conference Calls: Calls in which multiple individuals participate together simultaneously from various locations using multiple devices.
- Automated Directory: Routes all calls to pre-set destinations and assists in finding the extension of a desired contact.
- Call forwarding: An automated mechanism for routing a call to a different phone number or to voicemail.
- Voicemail to email transcription: Converts voicemail to email, helpful when one is out of the office or doesn’t want to be disturbed.
