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Dumb question: what's a PBX?
Do I need one?

PBX - some kind of exchange right?
Let's you transfer calls?
If so... then... it would be really good to have one.
I would really need it for my business.

Any replies would be appreciated.

Thanks.


OM

"OM" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Dumb question: what's a PBX?
> Do I need one?
>
> PBX - some kind of exchange right?
> Let's you transfer calls?
> If so... then... it would be really good to have one.
> I would really need it for my business.
>
> Any replies would be appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
>
>
> OM
>

Strictly speaking a PBX was where the telephonist connected the call with a
jack plug, and rang your telephone by cranking a magneto
OK these days PBX and PABX mean much the same.
You might think that a pabx for the home is overkill, Some of us posting
here are using Asterisk (aka Trixbox) which is a fully fledged VOIP PABX
that runs on almost any old PC.

--

Graham.
%Profound_observation%

"OM" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com
> Dumb question: what's a PBX?

Private Branch Exchange.

Technically, one that connects to the PSTN and where calls are dialled
direct is a PABX (Private Automatic Branch Exchange) but as there are
probably very few if any manual ones (PMBX's) around any more the term PBX
has stuck.

> Do I need one?

I don't know, do you..? Only you can answer that until you give us some
details of why you think you might need one.

> PBX - some kind of exchange right?

See above.

> Let's you transfer calls?

Yes, amongst other things.

> If so... then... it would be really good to have one.
> I would really need it for my business.

That all depends on what type of telephone traffic you receive/originate.

> Any replies would be appreciated.

For a start, you would be better off asking in uk.telecom, unless you want
specific information about Voice over IP.

Ivor

"Graham." <> wrote in message
news:44ce99b6$
> "OM" <> wrote in message
> news: ups.com...
> > Dumb question: what's a PBX?
> > Do I need one?
> >
> > PBX - some kind of exchange right?
> > Let's you transfer calls?
> > If so... then... it would be really good to have one.
> > I would really need it for my business.
> >
> > Any replies would be appreciated.
> >
> > Thanks.
> >
> >
> > OM
> >
>
> Strictly speaking a PBX was where the telephonist
> connected the call with a jack plug, and rang your
> telephone by cranking a magneto

Actually that was a PMBX (Private Manual Branch Exchange). One where calls
are dialled direct by extension users is a PABX (Private Automatic Branch
Exchange). Both of these connect to the public (PSTN/POTS or whatever you
want to call it) network. An internal automatic system which has no
connection to the outside world is a PAX (Private Automatic Exchange).
These were once very common, particularly in larger organisations, where
you would have a PMBX to handle external calls via the company operator,
but an automatic system for internal calls. You could always tell where
one of these systems was in use as there were two phones on every desk,
one on the PMBX (often with no dial) and one on the PAX.

> OK these days PBX and PABX mean much the same.
> You might think that a pabx for the home is overkill,

Not really, it depends how many phones/lines you have..!

> Some of us posting here are using Asterisk (aka Trixbox)

What an awful name, why on earth did they change it..? What was wrong with
Asterisk..?

> which is a fully fledged VOIP PABX that runs on almost
> any old PC.

Most of this thread could of course take place in uk.telecom, unless the
OP specifically has VoIP solutions in mind.

Ivor

"OM" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Dumb question: what's a PBX?
> Do I need one?
>
> PBX - some kind of exchange right?
> Let's you transfer calls?
> If so... then... it would be really good to have one.
> I would really need it for my business.
>
> Any replies would be appreciated.

In terms of VOIP, I would say you might need one only if you have more than
one user using voip services at your location
or if you want multiple sip accounts from all over the world. Otherwsie if
you are just looking for voip with transfer functions
etc, using a voip provider like voipfone will probably do.

Trixbox is a pain in the arse, if it works thats great, if it doesnt you
have to hunt around the net finding conflicting information
until you stumble on the correct info or give up through fustration

Ivor Jones wrote:

>
> > Some of us posting here are using Asterisk (aka Trixbox)
>
> What an awful name, why on earth did they change it..? What was wrong with
> Asterisk..?
>

Asterisk is still the PBX software. Trixbox is the pre-packaged Linux
distro with Asterisk and some other useful sofware pre-configured to
make it easier to get a PBX up and running quickly.

Trixbox used to be called Asterisk@Home but they felt the name was
off-putting for small businesses (a natural enough place to use the
product) so they changed it.


>
> Most of this thread could of course take place in uk.telecom, unless the
> OP specifically has VoIP solutions in mind.
>

True, although this group seems almost by default to be the one that
handles most of the Asterisk queries.

---
Nic
www.entrust-systems.net

"Ivor Jones" <> wrote in message
news:...

>
>> Some of us posting here are using Asterisk (aka Trixbox)
>
> What an awful name, why on earth did they change it..? What was wrong with
> Asterisk..?
>

Asterisk is still called Asterisk. It's Asterisk@home that's been renamed to
Trixbox.

I presume it's a play on "asTRIX BOX"