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Why Switch to a Hosted Phone System?

A hosted phone system is a phone setup that works through an internet connection, also referred Virtual Private Branch Exchange (PBX). It offers all the premium benefits of a unified communication system, thereby maintaining the functionality of traditional phone office systems. All this without much investment in hardware.

Here are the two options to set up a hosted phone system for your business,

Cloud-based Phone System: It is easy to set up. All you have to do is connect all the phones to an outside VoIP center. All connected phones are configured for individual login and are programmed beforehand to register with the SIP server.

A cloud-based PBX system offers all the features and compatibility necessary for a modern business environment. It is secure, easy to manage, and bears the potential to serve as a central hub for communication and collaboration.

PBX SIP Trunking: Organizations interested in keeping their existing PBX hardware can opt for this option. Although it holds on to the existing PBX, the connection is achieved through a VoIP-based trunk for the external phone lines. If you face any PBX issues, you get the liberty to route all the calls to any physical or virtual office.

Access Cloud Telephony with Microsoft 365 Business Voice

Not many people know that Microsoft offers domestic and international calling plans through Microsoft Teams in Office 365. The Microsoft 365 Business Voice adds cloud telephony to the Teams to make it an all-in-one solution that unifies instant messaging, chatting, meeting, audio, video, and conference calling.

  • By integrating hosted PBX, the cloud phone system becomes easily accessible. Users can make calls through Microsoft Teams from anywhere, on any device—including computers, smartphones, desk phones, and meeting rooms.
  • A trusted cloud from Microsoft assures every phone call gets uninterrupted connectivity, high-quality audio, secure communication, and intelligent AI-powered capabilities.
  • It extends the functionality of Microsoft Teams and empowers users to make and receive calls, transfer calls to and from the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), thereby replacing the traditional phone system.
  • Hosted phone systems work similarly to a standard business phone system. It allows users to set up toll numbers and toll-free numbers. It also offers the flexibility to automate phone systems.
  • Large organizations can allot different phone numbers to employees or departments and allow them to enjoy audio conferencing at their will. If needed, employees can make internal and external calls with an embedded caller ID function.
  • You can opt for Microsoft 365 Business Voice plans either as an add-on feature in the existing Microsoft 365 package or as an inclusive feature in specific packages.

By subscribing to Microsoft 365 Business Voice, you switch to Microsoft services as your default phone system, phone line provider, and business VoIP provider

Office 365 Phone System Takes Care of Hosted Phone System

Microsoft offers a hosted phone system that enables call controlling and PBX capabilities in the Office 365 cloud with Microsoft Teams. With a hosted phone system from Microsoft, you can replace your existing PBX system and the business telephony. Apart from internal and external calling, it gives a range of features from office 365 tightly integrated with your organization’s cloud experience.

If you are calling colleagues or customers using Microsoft Teams, then these calls are free. However, buying a Microsoft Calling Plan is a must to call or dial regular phone numbers. Hereafter, no calling plan comes with the Office 365 or Microsoft 365 subscription; you have to buy it as an add-on with the existing or new subscription.

You do have an option to use your own devices while using the hosted phone system offered by Microsoft Teams. Besides, Microsoft is working with many third-party manufacturers (Yealink, Crestron, Poly, and Jabra, etc.) to enhance and extend a unified calling experience. If you want, you can try headsets, speakerphones, desk phones, cameras, room systems, and conference phones from these manufacturers and get a consistent experience on all devices.

Hosted Telephony Meets Business and Communication Needs

If you are still stuck with the decade-old landline telephone system, it is high time to make a switch. Get hosted phone system and enjoy scalability, affordability, efficiency, and productivity at a fraction of cost.

A hosted phone system allows you to discard unwanted hardware, ancillary system, and costs incurred to manage and maintain it. Your high telephony expenses often point towards the on-premise PBX and copper phone lines which are redundant these days. Instead, a cloud-hosted PBX offers easy access to the cloud-based phone system to bring significant savings, productivity, efficiency, and growth to the organization.

Cloud telephony, referred to as VoIP phone system is a game-changer. It changes the way you used to communicate, collaborate, and do business. It increases flexibility, responsiveness, mobility, and efficiency. Besides, it also helps in enhancing customer service. All these benefits are accessible only if you chose the right platform like Microsoft Teams.

Microsoft Teams allows you to support enough users necessary for your business. If required, you can scale up and scale down the phone lines depending on the growth of your business. Microsoft Teams serves as a unified communication channel, preventing you from investing in different phone equipment and overall subscription costs.

Benefits of Using Hosted Phone Systems

Hosted phone system benefits extend to all business sizes, from startups to global enterprises. Many hosted phone systems offer advanced unified communication features required by businesses to increase productivity, agility, efficiency, and growth.

Here are some of the known benefits of using hosted phone systems,

  • They are cost-efficient.
  • You can send and receive faxes.
  • You can use free softphones for desktops or smartphones.
  • Option to include an auto attendant or virtual receptionist.
  • Provide free and ad-hoc conferencing.
  • Hosted phone system comes with a rich set of features for communication and collaboration.
  • Hosted phone systems are scalable and offer disaster recovery.
  • It helps in improving information security and support data compliance.

It provides cloud flexibility and supports a remote workforce.

How Does EPC Group Help?

EPC Group offers dedicated internet and hosted voice services that streamline business telephony and communications. When it comes to business telephony, we understand how hard it is to conciliate between innovation and cost savings.

EPC Group has a highly experienced panel of Microsoft Office 365 and Microsoft Phone System setup and deployment experts. With their experience, they lay out a plan to manage all your voice and data telecommunication needs.

Their expertise in Microsoft Teams and associated technologies help them find the right solution at the right time for the right cost, especially when you decipher between on-premise PBX and hosted PBX or landline and hosted phone systems.

Rely on EPC Group to implement new technologies and migrate your existing telephony to hosted phone systems. They will seamlessly align their services to find the right balance between hardware, software, cloud.

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