Virtual PBX VOIP(Voice over Internet Protocol), simply defined, is a hosted PBX software solution that uses the Internet as the means to deliver voice communications.

Today, Internet is ruling the world and a virtual PBX VOIP solution provides you greater benefits than the old hardware based systems at a fraction of the costs. Further, the chief advantage of virtual PBX VOIP solution is the maintenance and support is provided by someone else relieving you of a lot of bother. A hosted PBX means that you can provide the best customer service possible, without the expense or hassle of buying and maintaining your own phone system.

Small businesses can draw consolation from the fact that the virtual PBX VOIP can lend a small company the image of a big corporation. The method of operation is simple. You are generally assigned either an 800 or local number or sometimes both. This is the number that you will publicize and give out to all your clients instead of a multitude of office numbers, cell phone numbers, voice mail boxes, etc. Thus, you have all incoming calls of your company getting centralized and the client only needs to remember this one number.

The incoming calls can be answered by a dedicated live attendant or an automated greeting message. In this way, customers get the sense that they are calling a big business house, even though the company may be small. All incoming calls are automatically answered by the auto attendant with professionally recorded welcome messages.

It provides the callers with a set of choices such as dial by name, dial by extension and so on for routing calls. The system has many additional features including call forwarding, call conferencing, call waiting, caller ID, fax mail and more.

Calls can be forwarded to your cell phones or other alternate land phone numbers thereby allowing business activities to be performed even from outside your business office. This facility increases the efficiency of your workers and improves business productivity.

Calls that could not be attended personally during busy business hours can be directed to the voicemail system, where the callers can leave voice messages. These voice messages can be forwarded to your email account, so you can check the messages at any time and from anywhere. The entire system is scalable and a number of extensions can be added to the existing phone number as the business grows.

A virtual PBX VOIP has a lot of other features including music on hold, customized greetings, hunting and call forwarding. The virtual PBX VoIP phone functions can be had without investing in onsite PBX equipments and software. The service providers maintain all the equipments at their site and the VoIP phone features are offered at cost-effective monthly rents. Due to its manifold advantages, virtual PBX VoIP phone system has become the most preferred telecommunication choice of many small business owners.

RingCentral, Inc. recently launched its DigitalLine VoIP service as an enhancement to its virtual phone system for small businesses. DigitalLine is integrated directly into the full RingCentral system, allowing the company's customers to place and receive calls via landline, mobile and VoIP as needed. DigitaLine is fully integrated with the RingCentral service and lets customers view missed calls, check voicemail, or send faxes over IP.