IP PBX Comparison Guide Introduction

Many medium to enterprise businesses are still using traditional private branch exchanges (PBXs) for their phone system. With the evolution from analog to digital voice communications and multimedia networks such as Voice over IP, organizations should consider looking to upgrade to an IP PBX. It includes features such as scalability, savings on long distance calls, and less hardware since IP communications are becoming more software and applications based.

Use this side-by-side comparison guide to size up the top 2017 IP PBX providers and also learn more about additional features offered to see if switching to an IP PBX is the best business telephony decision for your company.

IP PBX Features

Vendor: Product Solution Focus Cloud Based Supports Virtualization Supports Multi-Office

Cisco Unified Communications Medium Biz & Enterprise    Manager

Skype for Business SOHO, Medium Biz, Enterprise   

Avaya Aura Communication Manager Medium Biz, Enterprise   

ShoreTel UC Core SMB, Medium Biz   

8x8 Virtual Office SOHO, Medium Biz, Enterprise   

MegaPath Business VoIP SMB, Medium Biz, Enterprise   

Jive PBX SMB, Medium Biz, Enterprise   

Nextiva Office SOHO, Medium Biz, Enterprise   

Ring Central Office SOHO, Medium Biz, Enterprise  

Vonage Business SOHO, Medium Biz, Enterprise   

IP PBX Features (continued)

Selective Call Vendor: Product Solution SIP Trunking Video Conferencing Fax Support Call Return Rejection

Cisco Unified Communications    Manager

Skype for Business  

Avaya Aura Communication Manager   

ShoreTel UC Core     

8x8 Virtual Office   

MegaPath Business VoIP   

Jive PBX    

Nextiva Office     

Ring Central Office    

Vonage Business    

IP PBX Features (continued)

Vendor: Product Solution Auto Attendant Push to Talk Extension Mobility SmartPhone App Voice Routing

Cisco Unified Communications   Manager

Skype for Business 

Avaya Aura Communication Manager   

ShoreTel UC Core   

8x8 Virtual Office    

MegaPath Business VoIP     

Jive PBX    

Nextiva Office     

Ring Central Office     

Vonage Business    

Features Definitions A VoIP and streaming media service based on the Session Initiation Protocol by which Internet telephone service SIP Trunking providers deliver phone and UC services to customers with SIP based PBX and UC facilities. This is the means to conduce a conference between more than one participant at various locations by using Video Conferencing computer networks to transmit audio and video data.

Fax Support This feature utilizes a VoIP gateway to allow faxes to travel over an IP network.

Selective Call Rejection This allows users to choose which calls to reject such as toll free calls, 800 numbers, etc.

Call Return This allows users to call the last person that called them.

An auto attendant is an automated voice menu system that allows callers to be transferred to an extension Auto Attendant without the need for a live telephone operator. More of a conferencing feature, this is similar to a walkie talkie button where conference users can press a button Push to Talk when they wish to speak in the conference. This is the method of organizing telephone work spaces to greatly reduce the costs related to a permanent office Extension Mobility location. This allows a user to access their information (voicemail, call forwarding, etc) from another IP phone within the same phone network. This feature is a smartphone application version of the vendor’s product allowing users to access the phone Smartphone App network from their smartphone.

Voice Routing This is the ability to automatically route local calls from a mobile phone or landline to the IP PBX and vice versa.