The Benefits of Digital vs. Analogue Phone Systems

The Benefits of Digital vs. Analogue Phone Systems

With today’s technological advances, it has never been a better time to purchase a new phone system. You can opt for a whole host of smart features and options, but a good place to start is by choosing between a digital or analogue phone system. So how do you decide what is best for your business? Think about whether you are a transaction-based business like retail or do you rely on strong customer relationships.

Do you have a call centre? Do you need to forward calls to a mobile device when you are on the move? Is your business likely to expand fast in the near future? These are just some of the things to consider when choosing your new phone system.

What Are the System Differences?

Built on standard copper wires and POTS (plain old telephone service), analog phone systems have supported businesses for a long time. They give good voice quality, offer reliability and have basic features, including hold, mute and speed dial. With the limited potential for expansion, they are relatively inexpensive to purchase. However, their old-style hardware can be more expensive to upgrade.

Digital phone systems are way more modern and can be configured with a range of features and capabilities to suit your business needs. Not relying on a physical telephone or copper-wired circuit, you only need a simple computer and fast internet speed. Big advantages are having way more flexibility to expand, upgrade or move sites with little hassle. Voice clarity is high, and alongside basic features like extensions, transfers, and call recording, the digital PBX also offers the option for virtual auto-attendants, voicemail and call forwarding to email, video conferencing and much more.

Pros of an Analog System

  • Cost-effective and simple maintenance
  • Easy to use
  • Speedy setup time

Pros of a Digital System

  • Reduced monthly costs
  • A higher standard of call routing and transmission
  • Able to scale up easily as business grows
  • High-quality data and video transmission are available
  • No physical phone is needed as you can use softphone software on your computers ( please delete this line)

Small to medium businesses are obviously looking to control costs, so the low initial cost of the analog system might sway them. Before you make your decision consider ongoing costs and limitations. If you see your business expanding in the near future remember the analog system has limited expandable capability.

Both systems will require professional installation, but the analog handsets will likely need more configuration than a cloud-based system. Alongside your analysis of costs, research how the features of each will support your daily operational needs. With the majority of new businesses buying into the new digital systems, consider where your business fits and how it will compete. Having a smart, digital system as the first point of contact with your clients might give you the edge over a competitor and likely return your initial outlay quickly.

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