Phone System for Home and Small Business

The provision of office phone service is one of the most in demand in the telecommunication sector today. So much so, that a lot of phone companies are currently competing for a portion of the market via phone package offerings that present an array of phone features. Now these features usually vary from simple call announcements to the more complex Auto Call Distributor (ACD).
Here is a guide in choosing phone technology for Home and Small Business

Key Systems
Small Key System
This is a business telephone service that can support three to eight lines with eight phone and 16 phones respectively. The network is comprised of KSU-to-phone wires instead of a more complex phone to phone connection. Most of all, the system is not expandable, so it wouldn’t be enough to support future expansions. Also, it doesn’t provide ports for modem and fax machines.

Medium Key System
Generally, this business phone system can support up to 24 trunks and 48 phones and can get bigger as business grows. Another good thing about it is that it provides ports for voicemails service, fax machines and modems aside from analog and digital phones.

Large Key System
This system is capable of managing numerous analog and digital phones and at the same time support more than 32 lines and around 8 trunks. The advantage of this system is its scalability and the fact that it can be upgraded in many different ways. In connection, it can accommodate a significant amount of business phone extension, which makes it a system to beat.

IP PBX system
Now this phone system, meanwhile, employs internet protocol to connect with the analog and digital phone lines. And what the IP telephony does is it utilizes gateways and line cards to interface into different business phone systems networks. With this service, all voice calls are converted into packets and can be very cost effective since calls between IP gateways are free. Also, this small business phone system is accustomed to expansions that can be accomplished through a TCP/IP network and Ethernet ports with local IP gateways.

Useful Local Number and Toll Free Numbers in UK

There are various phone numbers available and it is important to understand the numbering system and the various prefixes involved. Popular among prefixes is the 0800 toll free number. Area codes 0845 numbers, 0870 and 0871 are digits used as a prefix for non-geographic number. Unlike toll free, calls to these numbers will cost around 10p per minute.

Phone numbers owned by Private and Public establishments in UK are listed below:

Embassies and Consulates
US Embassy - Telephone Number: 020/7499-900
Canadian Consulate - Telephone Number: 020/7258-6600

Emergency Hotline
Ambulance and Police Assistance -Telephone number: 999

Dialing Assistance
Operator Assistance - Telephone Number: 100 (Calling the number is free of charge)
Directory Assistance - Telephone number: 118-500 (calling cost starts from 42p/min)
International Directory Assistance - Telephone number: 118-505

Transportation
Train
For trip with in England - Telephone number: 0845-748-4950
Eurostar - Telephone number: 0870-518-6186
Trains to all points in Europe - Telephone number: 0870-584-8848
Airport
Heathrow - Telephone number: 0870-000-0123
Gatwick - Telephone number: 0870-000-2468
Stansted - Telephone number: 0870-000-0303
London City Airport - Telephone number: 020/7646-0088

Dialing local number with in Britain is the same as dialing phone number in the US. Callers can view the list of area codes on a phone booth walls or are available from directory assistance listed above. For less expensive calls within British region it is best to make calls from 17:00-8:00. If possible refrain from making calls from 8:00-13:00 because of far above the ground calling rate. Users can chooses 0800 number, 0845 phone number or any local phone number they prefer from phone companies recognized in selling numbers.