Choosing a Business Phone Line
By Alex Tipu
As a business owner or manager, you may have wondered about which types of telephone lines you need for your office. Phone lines in the UK usually come in three types:
1. Analogue - a regular phone line
Most of the people are familiar with the standard analogue line. It is a single phone line that we typically have at home or in the office. An analogue phone line maybe required for some uses (Broadband Internet, Alarm monitoring etc.).
If your requirement is for large numbers of concurrent phone conversations, it might become cumbersome for you to manage.
2. ISDN2
A single ISDN2 line actually consists of two channels (You can make or receive two calls at once).
ISDN also has several functional advantages over a standard line:
o Direct Dial-In (DDI):
A feature offered by telephone companies for use with the private branch exchange (PBX) systems of their customers. In DDI service, the telephone company provides one or more trunk lines to the customer for connection to the PBX of the customer, allocates a range of telephone numbers to this line (or group of lines) and forwards all calls to such numbers via the trunk. As calls are presented to the PBX, the dialled destination number (DNIS) is transmitted so that the PBX can route the call directly to the desired telephone extension within the organization, without the need for an operator. The service allows direct inward call routing to each extension, yet maintaining only a limited number of subscribed lines.
o FXS line:
Foreign exchange service is a telephone line that uses a different central office exchange than you would normally use. This FXS line allows you to have a local telephone number in a community other than your own, allowing customers to contact you as a local call, when in fact you may be several miles away from their location, and would be charged a toll for calling you. This feature has now been extended internationally using VOIP (Voice over Internet Protocols).
o CTI
The following functions can be implemented using CTI:
o Call information display the number of the caller (ANI), number dialled (DNIS), and screen population on answer, with or without using calling line data.
o Automatic dialling and computer controlled dialling (fast dial, preview, and predictive dial).
o Telephone control. (Answering the call, hang up, hold conference, etc.).
o Coordinated phone and data transfers between two parties.
o Advanced functions such as call routing, reporting functions, automation of desktop activities, and multi-channel blending of phone, e-mail, and web requests.
o Agent state control (for example, after-call work for a set duration, then automatic change to the ready state).
o Call control for quality monitoring/call recording software.
3. ISDN30
ISDN30 is a high capacity version of ISDN2 and carries all of its features mentioned above. These can handle between 8 and 30 concurrent lines, thus making them better manageable and cost-effective than ISDN2 to install and manage.
As communications technology moves further and further into the Internet domain; the widespread usage of VOIP has become the norm. VOIP calls are much cheaper as compared to traditional long distance international calls. Businesses that operate across borders usually have VOIP numbers in order to reduce costs and the added advantage of terminating the call at a local number, so the end user bears local call charges.
Explore a range of business call packages in UK.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Alex_Tipu/487062