PBX Gateway

By Neil Zawacki
Updated: April 07, 2011

A PBX gateway is a distributed telephony device that allows businesses to connect multiple phone lines at remote locations to a corporate phone system. They tend to be highly scalable and support both circuit and packed-based networks. They are used by many types of businesses, with an emphasis on companies with branch offices, call centers, and offices with employees who telecommute on a regular basis.

Using a PBX gateway can result in major cost reductions for phone service within an office. Inter-office phone calls don’t have to routed through the phone company anymore, since the hardware automatically does that for you. If the device is an IP PBX gateway, the business can also save money on long distance phone calls since they are transmitted over the internet.

Most PBX gateways are set up so a single phone number can be used to reach any employee. It doesn’t matter if the person is halfway around the world, the gateway can still direct any phone calls to them. This can help to consolidate the phone experience within a large company and keep employees connected with the main office.

PBX gateways can also provide access to a large number of special features, such as include voicemail, automatic call distribution, call recording, and music while the user is on hold. They also tend to provide a central phonebook and the ability to dial by name, as well as ‘out of hours’ settings for when no one is at the office. Furthermore, many gateways have the ability to support up to 24 simultaneous lines.