What does the advent of VoIP mean for phone systems?
VoIP or IP telephony systems perform all the switching and connecting of VoIP calls. In many cases they do the same for regular telephone calls (in systems that can handle both kinds of phone system). These modern day phone systems are also highly programmable and can perform advanced functions including voice menu systems, automatic call conferencing, click-to-call (click on a contact record on a PC screen to initiate a voice call), call logging and tracking and much more. Using an IP-PBX system and VoIP telephone service allows an organization to combine (or converge) voice and data networks into a single system for cost-savings, simpler management and greater functionality. Who makes phone systems? Some of the largest phone system vendors include: Alcatel, Avaya, Cisco, Mitel, Nortel, Shoretel, and Siemens. There are also a number of upstart vendors who have emerged in recent years to offer reasonably priced, feature rich systems. These include companies like: Aptela, Dialexia, Digi
