PABX

A PABX, or Private Automatic Branch Exchange, is a private telephone network used within a company or organization. It allows users to communicate with each other on internal lines and connect to outside telephone lines for external calls. Instead of each employee having a separate phone line from the telephone company, a PABX system shares a smaller number of external lines among all users. This sharing mechanism significantly reduces the cost of telephone services for businesses. Modern PABX systems are often digital and can integrate with other business systems. Features commonly found on PABX systems include call transferring, call waiting, voicemail, conference calling, and automatic call distribution. The "automatic" in PABX signifies that the system operates without the need for a human operator to connect calls, unlike older manual switchboards. The branch exchange aspect refers to it being a smaller, independent telephone exchange serving a specific location or organization. PABX systems have evolved over time from analog to digital and now often incorporate Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, known as IP-PBX. These systems are a fundamental component of business telecommunications, facilitating efficient internal and external communication.