What is a PABX and What is the Difference between 1300 and 1800 numbers?
OK, before we get to the nitty gritty, let"s do a simple breakdown of this contemporary phenomenon. We"re sure this will provide you with great cocktail party knowledge to share with all of the entrepreneurs in the room.Â
A Private Branch Exchange (PBX) is a telephone exchange that serves a particular business or office, as opposed to one that a common carrier or telephone company operates for many businesses or for the general public.
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PBXs are also referred to as Private Automatic Branch Exchange (PABX) and Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange (EPABX).
The history of the Private Branch Exchange dates back to when switchboard operators ran company switchboards by hand. As automated electromechanical and then electronic switching systems gradually began to replace the manual systems, the terms PABX and PMBX were used to differentiate them. The term original term, PBX, has now come to be applied to all types of complex, in-house telephony switching systems.
Historically, the expense of full-fledged PBX systems has put them out of reach of small businesses and individuals. However, since the 1990s there has been a large set of small, consumer-grade and consumer-size PBXs available. These systems are not comparable in size, robustness or flexibility to commercial-grade PBXs, but still provide a surprising set of features.
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As VoIP becomes more popular with consumers, VoIP PBXs, otherwise known as IPBX, are beginning to show considerable presence in the market. Most modern PBXs now support VoIP.
While we"re on the topic let"s address another matter that may cause some confusion.
The real difference between 1300 and 1800 numbers?
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As a previous resident of the United States, I have never understood the difference between 1800 and 1300 numbers. And I particularly remember my astonishment that Australia also uses 1800 numbers, just like in the States.
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What exactly is a 1800 number and what is the difference between a 1800 and a 1300 number?
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The 1-800 number is often known as a toll-free, freecall, or even freephone number. The receiver, rather than the caller, is charged the cost of the call.
There are many reasons why a company would want to offer a toll-free number to its customers:
* It encourages clients to call your company because they won"t have to pay for the call thus enhancing sales, communication with your clients and customer satisfaction
* It enhances the professional image of your company
* The company may charge the calling party in another way, such as during technical support calls
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Prior to the invention of toll-free numbers, ð€˜collect calls" allowed callers to charge the receiver. ð€˜Freephone" facilities were introduced by the British Post Office in 1960, and then in 1967 AT&T rolled out toll-free services for the home phone. This alternative to collect calling streamlined the processing, decreasing the need for telephone operators.
The North American prefix for toll-free numbers 1-800 was adopted in Australia and is now used widely in the region. However, 1300 numbers are even more popular in Australia. Unlike toll-free calls, these ð€˜Local Rate Numbers" charge the caller, but only the cost of a local call ð€“ no matter where in the country they may be calling to. These numbers are great for companies that have their offices and telephone support distributed across the country.
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Some things you should know:
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· Mobile phone callers are charged at their standard rate per minute when they call a 1-300 or 1-800 number
· 1300 and 1800 numbers are relocatable across Australia and can be transferred between different telecommunications suppliers.
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