ALSO CALLED: Private Branch Exchanges, Telecommunications Switches, CBX, and Computer-controlled Branch Exchange DEFINITION: A PBX (private branch exchange) is a telephone system within an enterprise that switches calls between enterprise users on local lines while allowing all users to share a certain number of external phone lines. The main purpose of a PBX is to save the cost of requiring a line for each user
… Definition continues below.
PBX DEFINITION (continued): … to the telephone company's central office.
The PBX is owned and operated by the enterprise rather than the telephone company (which may be a supplier or service provider, however). Private branch exchanges used analog technology originally. Today, PBXs use digital technology (digital signals are converted to analog for outside calls on the local loop using plain old telephone service).
TechTarget provides enterprise IT professionals with the information they need to perform their jobs
- from developing strategy, to making cost-effective IT purchase decisions and managing their
organizations' IT projects - with its network of
technology-specific Web sites, events and magazines
Free Newsletters
