Infographic: Hosted or On-Site? The PBX Debate Simplified

When a business move to a private branch exchange (PBX) phone system, it has one crucial decision to make regarding the solution. Will it be hosted within the company’s premises or will it be left in the hands of the service provider? There are convincing arguments for either option, so in truth it often comes down to whichever solution is best suited to your needs.

Let’s say you decide to take on the hosting yourself. This is generally the preferred option for managers who like to have full control over every aspect of the business. Hosting the PBX on-site allows you to expand the solution at the pace that you desire and to tailor it exactly the way you want it. It also enables you to get a thorough understanding of how PBX works so that you might be able to fix minor issues yourself quickly and cheaply.

On the other hand, if time and costs are key factors (and let’s face it, they almost certainly are), then you may be better off entrusting your service provider with the hosting responsibilities. Setup costs are low and there will be no need to budget for maintenance costs, while management of the solution is left in the hands of those for whom it is their primary business function. Also, you will have more time to focus on other aspects of your business, safe in the knowledge that the PBX is being looked after by experts.

The people at Irish Telecom (www.irishtelecom.com) created this infographic which compares between on-site and hosted PBX so that you can be ably informed as to which option is more appropriate to your business.