Understanding EPABX – What it means and what it can do

EPABX stands for Electronic Private Automatic Branch Exchange. Sometimes it is also known as PBX(Private Branch Exchange) or PABX(Private Automatic Branch Exchange). It is a telephone exchange system that is installed and maintained by a single company or organization. In contrast a public telephone exchange is a system that is operated for many companies, stores, general public household phones etc. Business telephone systems are often divided into two types, a key telephone system and a PBX. A key telephone system differs from Private Branch Exchange in that originally it did not require an operator or attendant at the switchboard to establish connections between various central office trunks and stations and between stations.

The EPABX system makes communication within an organization simpler. You can think of EPABX as a switching mechanism that facilitates routing of calls both internally and externally. An EPABX system includes cabinets, closets vaults and other housing, console or switchboard that helps to route the calls, interconnecting wires and cables, logic cards, switching and control cards, microcontroller or microcomputer, station or telephone sets, outside telco trunks, UPS with power switches and batteries.

The EPABX has the following functionalities:

Establishing connections between two lines or handsets.

Maintaining connection and transferring voice signals between two such lines in connection.

Disconnecting connection as per the user’s requirement.

Metering calls for calculation of costs.

Apart from these there are several other functions of an EPABX system. Some of them are auto attendant, auto dialing, automated directory service, automatic call distributor, automatic ring back, call blocking, call forwarding, call transfer, call waiting, conference call, custom greeting, Direct Inward System access(DISA), Do Not Disturb, Interactive Voice Response, Music On Hold, Voice Mail, Voice Message Broadcasting, etc.

The installation of an EPABX system for an organization should be carefully planned and implemented so that it can do away with the necessity of an operator or attendant. It should also be configured so that maximum usage of the EPABX system features takes place. VelaCCTV provides all kinds of EPABX installation.