Virtual PBX

A virtual PBX is a Private Branch Exchange phone system that operates through the Internet. A virtual PBX routes incoming calls to the appropriate place, and connects a business's extensions. You do not need to purchase or maintain hardware or software for a virtual PBX system.

Featured VoIP Provider

Provider	Plan	Monthly Fees	Setup Fees	Intl Rate /min	More Info
0 Add Review	Jive Communications - Smart PBX Month-to-month. Full featured. Everything up front. Unlimited Local and Long Distance Calling	$ 19.95	free	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	Nextiva Office Unlimited calling. Top-rated call quality. Great support. Business. Worldwide.	$ 19.95	free	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	Vocalocity - PBX Unlimited Extension Unlimited local and long distance. Up front. No contract. Business. USA, CAN.	$ 19.99	free	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	RingCentral Office Unified communications ready. Unlimited SMS, calls, fax. No charge for setup.	$ 19.99	free	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	Virtual Office - Introductory Price Promotion #1 Market Leader Award Unlimited Calling (US and Canada) Includes softphone & mobile app	$ 19.99	free	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	Junction Networks Pay only for what you use. 30-day free trial. Business. USA.	$ 16.00	free	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	VoIP Provider A hosted IP PBX. Versatile and inexpensive. Business. USA.	$ 4.99	$6.80	-NA-	Details
0 Add Review	Unlimited Business Calling Plan Unlimited Calling and Faxing- Plans Start at $10.95. No contract- Most Reliable Service	$ 19.95	free	-NA-	Details

Features of Virtual PBX Systems

With numerous technical advancements, there are many sophisticated features incorporated into virtual PBX phone systems to maximize efficiency.

Virtual PBX companies handle call routing, or switching, at their own location and are responsible for managing all of the PBX equipment and software involved in the virtual PBX service.

VoIP virtual PBX features include:

• Auto attendant
• Call routing
• Multiple extensions
• Voicemail
• Faxing
• Automated greetings
• Touchtone menus
• Conference calling
• 3-way calling
• Calling logs
• Web-based management
• Call transfer
• Caller ID
• Dial-by-name and dial-by-number
• Interactive voice response
• Find Me/Follow Me
• Voicemail and voicemail-to-email
• Faxing and fax-to-email
• Text message notification
• Music-on-hold
• Toll-free numbers
• Call auditing

How a Virtual PBX System Works

Virtual PBX services take calls and routes them to the appropriate phone, whether it is a landline or cell phone in any location. It is important to note that calls between each caller are not free. You need to pay for call forwarding for the whole call duration in addition to the service itself.

A virtual PBX system does not have all business VoIP or call control features, so it is ideal for small businesses or home offices that do not need easy extension dialing or unified messaging. Each employee and location needs its own separate phone service. Because of this system's limitations, it is suitable for businesses that have at most 5 users and want to give the impression of a large company.

This system is labeled as "virtual" because the phone service is hosted online through cloud technology. This means that you can access it from anywhere. All you have to do is plug your phone into an Internet connection, forward calls to a mobile device, or forward calls to another phone extension.

Companies that offer virtual PBX systems manage call routing, or call switching, at their own location. They take care of all the PBX equipment and software involved in the VoIP virtual PBX system service.

You can customize your current phone equipment, so you do not need to purchase IP phones or run Ethernet cables to connect phones in the office.

Cost of Virtual PBX Systems

The costs with a virtual PBX are very affordable because you do not need to purchase or maintain any hardware. Most virtual PBX system providers offer call packages at an inexpensive or reasonable flat monthly rate.

For example,Vocalocity offers a Virtual PBX Extension plan that costs $14.99 a month for one extension. This type of plan offers unlimited minutes, and is designed for users who are often on the road.

This plan integrates mobile devices, which are considered part of the business virtual PBX system. The virtual extension includes a direct dial number to forward calls to mobile phones, in addition to a voicemail feature if a customer does not want to forward his or her extension.

On the other hand, Ringio offers virtual phone systems based on a per-user basis. For 1 or 2 users, it is $49 a month; for 3 users, it's $74 a month; for 4 users, it is $99 a month; and $25 a month for each additional user. Accounts with more than 10 users have special pricing.

Ringio's plan includes unlimited incoming and outgoing calls in the U.S. and Canada, one toll-free or local number for the company, and one optional additional local number for each user.