What is a PBX phone?
A PBX phone, also called a switchboard phone, is a phone connected to the company phone system, meaning the system that receives, distributes and routes every call. Instead of each phone standing on its own, a PBX phone is part of a shared system, so incoming calls can be transferred to the right person or answer group, parked, forwarded and followed up. A PBX phone used to be a physical desk phone with extra keys for transferring calls. Today it is just as often an app on a mobile or computer, a softphone, or an ordinary mobile connected to a cloud phone system. What matters is not the hardware, but that the phone is part of the system and its features.
How a PBX phone works
When someone calls your company number, the phone system decides where the call should go. The PBX phone is the device you answer on, whether that is a desk phone, a computer or a mobile.
- Incoming calls are distributed to the right person or answer group.
- You can transfer, park and forward calls between colleagues.
- Presence and opening hours decide what happens outside office hours.
- Calls are logged and can be followed up with analytics.
Types of PBX phone
- Desk phone, a physical phone that suits a reception or a meeting room.
- Softphone, an app on the computer or mobile that puts every feature on screen.
- Mobile, an ordinary mobile phone connected to the system and using the company number.
PBX phones in a cloud phone system
In a modern switchboard service the system itself runs in the cloud, which means any device can become a PBX phone simply by signing in to the app. No special hardware is needed, and the number follows the person instead of being locked to a handset. At Lynes the AI is built in, developed in house and part of the same seamless platform, so calls, presence and analytics all live in one single app. See the full business phone system for details.
Frequently asked questions about PBX phones
What is the difference between a PBX phone and an ordinary phone?
An ordinary phone stands on its own, while a PBX phone is connected to the company phone system and gets its features for transfer, answer groups and follow up.
Does a PBX phone have to be a desk phone?
No. Today a PBX phone is usually an app on a mobile or computer, or an ordinary mobile connected to the system.
Do we need our own hardware for PBX phones?
With a cloud phone system you need no special hardware. Most people answer in the mobile app or on the desktop, and desk phones can be connected where they make sense.
Can every employee have their own PBX phone?
Yes. Because a cloud phone system scales per user, everyone can have their own, whether they sit in the office or work remotely.
Want to see how PBX telephony works in practice? Book a Lynes demo.
