VoIP vs. Traditional PBX: Choosing the Right Office Phone System
The Evolution of Office Telephony
A reliable phone system is essential for customer service and communication. Businesses must choose between the legacy Private Branch Exchange (PBX) and the modern Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
VoIP (Internet Telephony)
**Pros:** Lower running costs, excellent scalability (add/remove users instantly), advanced features (auto-attendant, call routing, mobile integration), and remote work capability. **Cons:** Dependent entirely on stable, high-speed internet (a major concern in Kenya) and potential for call quality issues if the connection is poor.
Traditional PBX (Copper Lines)
**Pros:** Excellent call quality and reliability, as it is not internet-dependent. **Cons:** High initial hardware cost, extremely difficult to scale (requires manual wiring), limited features, and expensive to maintain.
**Recommendation:** VoIP is the modern standard for features and flexibility. Businesses should adopt VoIP but ensure they have a dedicated, stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth to prioritize voice traffic (Quality of Service – QoS) and a backup ISP.