Hosted Phone System: Top 10 Words You Need to Know

The business of installing a hosted phone system can be a complicated one, filled with jargon that you don’t understand, and procedures that daunt you. The good news is these fears are easy to overcome; you simply need to know what you’re doing. Now, we’ve talked about the benefits of hosted phone systems, but here are some of the words that you really need to know. It’s time to jargon-bust!

1. Hosted Phone System

First thing’s first; you really should know what a hosted phone system is before you investigate its potential. To put it simply a hosted phone system is a means of communication that is hosted, and operated, via a remote service provider, rather than on site as regular landlines are. This equates to less wires, more flexibility, and clearer conversations. Simple!

2. PBX

A PBX, or private branch exchange, is a private telephone network that serves an entire company and its employees. The presence of a PBX means that external calls can be received and redirected within the company, while staff members will have their own extension lines upon which to be reached directly.

3. VoIP

VoIP, or Voiceover Internet Protocol, is a term used to refer to Internet phone usage. Essentially, it refers to the provision of an Internet telephony network, and its service amongst users. Often referred to as ‘Internet telephony’ this is the means by which you’ll be communicating if you access a hosted phone system.

4. IP Deskphone

Simply put, an IP Deskphone is an Internet Protocol Deskphone; any telephone, upon a workstation, that receives and makes calls over your hosted phone system.

5. SIP Trunking

If you follow this blog you’ll have heard me mention SIP Trunking before, and should know what it is… To refresh your memory though, SIP Trunking is a VoIP and media streaming service that enables a hosted phone system to work. It is the network by which such telephony services are delivered.

6. Management tool

Nope, not a derogatory term for your boss, but a means to control your hosted phone system. A web-based management tool, to give it its full title, is an online control panel that allows you to carry out a variety of administrative functions, including altering settings, and importing remote users.

7. The Cloud

The Cloud, or cloud computing, is a term used to refer to hosted computing. Rather than data being stored onsite within your company’s machines and their hard drives, information is stored remotely on a secured network. This can make the sharing of data much easier, and more secure, as well as improving your company’s productivity and performance.

8. Virtual Phone Numbers

The term ‘virtual phone number’ needs little explanation. It is, put incredibly simply, a telephone number without a directly associated landline. Rather than your business operating under the phone number that the telephone company assigns to you, purchasing a virtual number will enable you to use any area code, and number sequence, to add an air of professionalism, or a particular location. 0800 numbers, for example, can install a client with the confidence to ring you.

9. Hosted Dialler

A hosted dialler is a web-based, predictive dialler that will allow your agents to call a vast number of contacts in any one go, connecting only to the first successfully answered call

10. Mobile softphone

A mobile softphone is an app that can be used to connect a mobile phone or device to your hosted phone system, enabling them to make and receive calls via the network. This is incredibly useful for those in your company that will regularly be working on location, or from home.

While I’m aware that some of these entries are, technically, more than a single word each, hopefully get the gist and have found this blog post useful. Remember, a member of the VoxCloud team is always available to talk you through hosted phone systems, and the installation process. Just contact us here!