Hosted PBX FAQs

WHAT IS A HOSTED PBX OR A CLOUD-BASED PHONE SYSTEM?
A Hosted PBX is a PBX system that is in the Cloud and is accessible through an IP Network. Panasonic takes care of the hardware, software and connectivity and provides your business phone connectivity and features as a service. You get a variety of features that enable you to connect with customers and employees without having to manage and maintain hardware or software on your premise. SMBs appreciate the flexibility, advanced features and ease of accommodation for adding or reducing the number of endpoints depending on the needs of the company at any given time.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF USING HOSTED PBX?
The benefits go beyond just cost savings. These benefits include:

  • Low Capital Requirements – Hosted PBX is offered on a monthly recurring pricing model with no up-front capital costs.
  • Increased Productivity – Hosted PBX offers end users and institutions significant new features and applications that can greatly enhance their productivity and streamline business processes. (Mobile Integration, Find Me/Follow Me, Unified Messaging, Auto Attendant, SIM Ring).
  • Relevance / Enabling Small Business to Look Bigger – With features like Auto-Attendant, Find Me/Follow Me, Toll Free Numbers and benefitting from never missing a call, Hosted PBX makes Small Businesses look bigger and more relevant in their marketplace.
  • Cost Predictability – Provided in a monthly service model, no hidden cost and no variability on the monthly bill to the customer.
  • Future Proof / Low Risk of Obsolescence – When new features become available on the Hosted PBX platform, they are made available to existing customers without the need for expensive upgrades that are required for PBX/Key Systems.
  • Convergence of Voice and Data – Customers can now deliver voice and data over a single access which provides potential costs saving and productivity gains associated with managing multiple access types and service providers.

WHAT PHONES DO YOU OFFER?
Panasonic offers a variety of stylish, compact, lightweight, durable and intuitive phone designs in both mobile and desktop models to best suit your organization’s needs. 

CAN I KEEP MY EXISTING PHONE NUMBERS?
Yes. Local number portability (LNP) regulations enable customers to move their cell or landline phone number to any provider. You may need to provide proof of ownership by producing a phone bill with your business name and address on it.

HOW DOES PANASONIC DIFFER FROM ITS COMPETITION?
Panasonic delivers the broadest selection of business communications solutions in the industry to bring your employees and customers closer together. Growing organizations of any size can create the unified communications platform they need to improve collaboration, manage costs and adapt seamlessly to your ever-changing needs. Best of all, these industry-leading solutions are designed and backed by Panasonic, the trusted telephony leader with more than 30 years of industry experience and more than 100 million phones in service today.

WHAT FEATURES DO YOU OFFER?
Hosted PBX technology offers end users and institutions significant new features that can greatly enhance their productivity and streamline business processes. Some enhanced features enabled by IP bsed voice solutions include the following:

  • Unified messaging – Hosted PBX allows users to have their voice mail messages sent to their email inbox. This allows a user to listen and then file the voice mail or forward it to another user.
  • Find-me Follow-me – Users set up a profile of where they will be throughout the day, and their calls are automatically forward to the correct phone and location. This helps ensure that users never miss an important call.
  • Auto-attendant – An organization using a Hosted IP PBX system can set up automated answering on any incoming number without purchasing any additional hardware. This feature can reduce the need for a human receptionist and enable the organization to provide after-hours service or information in an economical way.
  • Unified Communications (Email, E-Fax, EMS) - Hosted PBX providers offer organizations the opportunity to unify their communication tools and mediums. For example, all system voice mail messages can be forwarded to one or more users via email. Additionally, E-Fax services can be integrated with the Hosted PBX system, eliminating the need for analog, paper-based fax machines.

HOW RELIABLE IS HOSTED PBX?
Panasonic customers benefit from a managed and fully redundant core infrastructure hosted in a secure Tier 1 data centre. Customers can feel at ease knowing that in the event of an emergency, Hosted PBX will remain active with the ability to re-route calls to alternative end points like home phones, wireless, or answering services.

DO YOU PROVIDE E-911 EMERGENCY SERVICES?
Yes. Customers get access to 411, 911 and Operator Services. Clients can find your company by dialing 411 or online white pages (Basic Business Listings)

DOES HOSTED PBX SUPPORT REMOTE USERS?
Yes. More and more employees want the ability to work effectively from home or while traveling. At the same time, institutions gain from remote employees by reducing required real estate and increasing employee satisfaction. Hosted PBX enables remote users in a variety of ways:

  • Users with a home broadband connection can plug in their phone and access the same features available in the office.
  • Users who travel frequently can install a 3rd-party SIP Client add-on to take their number /extension with them and operate as if they were still in the office.
  • Administrators can access a web portal for their corporate directory, to view call logs, and to set up find me services. These features provide the means for remote users to effectively work while at home or traveling.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET UP AND RUNNING ONCE WE HAVE SIGNED A CONTRACT?
It depends on your current systems capabilities and other factors such as number porting. We typically have customers up and running in 1–30 days. Please note: Your current service won’t be interrupted in any way until you are ready to switch over.