While many companies look to swiftly add UC features to their capabilities, they also don’t want to lose their investment in PBX systems, which already provides them with strong telephony capabilities. The move from on-premise to hybrid and cloud communications systems has left companies committed to PBX under-supported and feeling marooned in a cloud-oriented world, as many PBX vendors have pulled out of the market. However, the reality is that on-premise systems still account for the greatest market share of UC, and PBX still has several years of headroom in the market.
Figures from consulting firm MZA show 54% of systems are on-premise, while 46% are cloud-based. Eastern Management Group has also reported that PBX will remain the largest selling UC platform, accounting for 40% of all UC sales in 2022. It’s clear that PBX is here to stay longer than expected, and this is because it is still a strong option for businesses that require greater control of their telecoms.
Choice is the key
In spite of the characterisation that all in the market are terminating on-premise solutions and moving to cloud solutions, it’s important to recognise that this doesn’t have to be an either-or situation. Companies can retain their PBXs and maximise the value of their investments in these, while adopting cloud features and gaining greater flexibility. Companies can move towards the cloud at their own pace, retaining PBX features such as enormous scalability and control, while reaping cloud benefits.
NEC, which has led all vendors in the global SMB segment – those with less than 100 extensions – for seven years, according to MZA, is pursuing this flexible strategy. The company’s customers can now choose from a comprehensive portfolio that extends from fully on-premises infrastructure to a 100% public cloud subscription-based solution, and anything in between in a hybrid working model.
