All About Smart PBX
The Smart PBX combines the strengths of both hosted IP phone systems and traditional on-premise private branch exchanges (PBXs), delivering a superior solution supporting an industry-leading set of business-class features.
These features are distributed between a local PBX system and a redundant network-hosted infrastructure, all running over the Smart PBX network. Due to this redundancy, it could be best described as a “Network PBX,” providing unparalleled Quality of Service and making it unique in the marketplace.
With the Smart PBX, the majority of PBX-centric features are provided locally, while more critical features are hosted within the core of the Smart PBX network. Smart PBX‘s unique hybrid concept decentralizes control, providing advanced scalability and availability, while enabling customers to manage extensions, voicemail, auto attendants, and other features via a simple, intuitive, web-based GUI interface.
Business Continuity and Disaster Prevention
Business Continuity (BC) and Disaster Prevention (DP) are major concerns in today’s business environment. The Smart PBX solution, due to its advanced Hybrid Architecture, provides unparalleled fault tolerance. Servers within the core network are purpose-engineered for multi-level fault tolerance, with multiple, diverse power sources, redundant network connectivity, and redundant connectivity to the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), ensuring no single point of failure exists. Key functions of the system are distributed across multiple redundant aggregators, so in the unlikely event of any one failure, the Smart PBX seamlessly connects to a redundant server within the hosted core.
In the event of specific local issues, such as loss of network connectivity or power, which would take a traditional PBX offline, the Smart PBX features hosted on this redundant core infrastructure continue to operate normally. For example, voicemail continues to record caller messages because it is hosted in the core. With the included Voicemail to Email functionality, these messages continue to be emailed to end users, ensuring they are always connected. The Automated Attendant functionality is also hosted within the core voice network. This service controls all customer-specific call routing, whether simple or complex. Entries can be made to provide for “offline” phone numbers, enabling automatic call redirection during local failures. This is transparent to the caller and allows for “always on” voice service; inbound calls are received whether the local PBX is operational or not.
Telephony & Network
Smart PBX has partnered with Polycom, the recognized global leader in speakerphone and IP phone technology. Smart PBX offers a wide range of their enterprise-grade wired and wireless phone solutions.
The VVX IP Series provides a broad range of phone sets, from a 2-line entry-level phone to a color screen Gigabit Ethernet-compatible 6-line professional office phone. Attendant phones with expansion module support offer the ability to monitor extensions and provide single-touch call control.
Smart PBX also supports a full range of IP conference phones for small to large boardrooms. With support for expansion microphones, this ensures coverage in the largest of boardrooms.
Our portable phone solution uses virtually noiseless DECT wireless technology. It can be deployed as a single wireless base station and a series of phones, or as a multiple cell solution, ensuring seamless roaming capability within a business environment.
Analog support for a simple cordless handset or existing analog-based conference phone is supported with the addition of an Analog Telephone Adapter (ATA).
Multiple branches can be “peered” together providing unlimited extension dialing between locations. Call handling can
automatically be forwarded from branch to branch in the event of local problems. Extension pool can be shared across all sites,
as can company dial by name directory. Local calling areas are added together for all locations, reducing long distance charges.
Features
- Advanced Call Routing: Forward calls to groups of extensions or outside numbers.
- Attendant Console: Browser-based interface for improved call management and extension visibility.
- Auto Attendants: Virtual receptionist with menu system for direct dialing, name search, and department transfers.
- Automatic Off-Line Forwarding: Reroute calls to external numbers when an extension is offline.
- Block Inbound Calls: Ability to block specific phone numbers from calling the system.
- Call Detailed Records (CDR): View call history, including time, duration, and call type (local/long distance).
- Call Pickup – Directed: Intercept and answer a ringing call for a specific extension.
- Call Restrictions: Set outbound call restrictions for extensions (local, long distance, international).
- Call Queues: Hold inbound calls in a queue for specific departments until staff are available.
- Call Transfers (Blind): Transfer calls directly to another extension without speaking to the recipient.
- Call Transfers (Attended): Speak with the recipient before transferring the call.
- Call Waiting: Alert for incoming calls while on another call; ability to switch between calls.
- Call Groups: Group extensions to direct calls to multiple destinations simultaneously.
- Caller ID: Display caller information (number and name) on enabled handsets.
- Cell Phone to Handset Transfer: Transfer calls received on a cell phone back to an extension.
- Visual Call Waiting: Display caller ID on compatible handsets for additional incoming calls.
- Call Recording: Record inbound, outbound, or on-demand calls for storage and playback.
- Call Notification: Email notification when a voicemail box is accessed without leaving a message.
- Call Parking: Place calls on hold and retrieve them from another extension.
- Enhanced Call Parking: Single-key park/unpark with visibility for multiple parked calls.
- Centralized PBX Management: Manage the system from any web-connected device.
- Dial by First/Last Name Directory: Auto Attendant directory for name-based dialing.
- Dial Prefixes: Customize outbound caller ID with a dial prefix (e.g., for multiple businesses).
- Direct Inward Dial (DID): Assign unique phone numbers for direct dialing to specific extensions.
- Direct Inward System Access (DISA): Securely access the PBX to make long-distance calls.
- DISA Caller ID Enhancement: Customize caller ID for DISA calls.
- Distributed (Remote) Call Queue Agents: Include remote staff in call queues.
- Do Not Disturb (DND): Block calls and pages for specific extensions.
- Enhanced Conference Bridge: Cloud-based conference service with extensive moderation controls.
- Enhanced Voicemail Greeting Options: Customizable voicemail greetings with various announcement options.
- Exclusion of Extensions from Directory: Exclude specific extensions from the company directory.
- Extension Monitoring (BLF/Buddy Lists): Monitor the status of other extensions via handset display.
- Find Me Follow Me: Route calls to multiple numbers sequentially or simultaneously.
- Lift to Talk: Automatically dial a specified extension when a phone goes off-hook.
- Extension Numbers: Assign unique 3 or 4-digit extension numbers to handsets.
- Message Waiting Indicator (Audio): Stuttered dial tone to indicate new voicemail messages.
- Message Waiting Indicator (Visual): Handset notification for new voicemail messages.
- Music/Messaging on Hold: Customizable hold music or messages for callers.
- Outbound Caller ID Block: Temporarily block caller ID on outbound calls.
- Remote Auto Attendant Recording: Remotely record Auto Attendant greetings.
- Holiday/Alternate Auto Attendant Message: Pre-record greetings for holidays or office closures.
- Hot Desking/Hoteling: Log in to any available handset and assign an extension.
- Inbound Caller ID Prefix: Insert a prefix to identify the called number for inbound calls.
- Voicemail: Dedicated voicemail box with cloud storage and no message limits.
- Voicemail Message Alerts: Email alerts for unread voicemail messages with caller ID info.
- Voicemail Security Options: Customize voicemail security levels (password, extension-only access).
- Three-Way Conference Calling: Create a three-way conference call via handset.
- Time of Day Scheduling (Auto Attendant): Customize call routing based on time of day and day of the week.
- Time of Day Scheduling (Extension): Schedule call flow rules for extensions (e.g., forward calls after hours).
- Voicemail to Email: Receive voicemail as an audio file via email.
- 611 Support: Dedicated technical support via 611 from any PBX extension.
- Overhead Paging Integration: Integrate the PBX with overhead paging systems.
- Enhanced Queue: Advanced call queuing with custom ring strategies and on-hold messaging.
- Entrance Security: Use IP intercoms and PBX integration for building entrance security.
- Fax to Email: Receive faxes as email attachments with a local or toll-free number.
- Toll-Free Numbers: Support for toll-free numbers with porting or assignment of new numbers.
- US Virtual Forwarding Numbers: Provision US phone numbers for local calling in major US cities.