| Small business phone systems are used by small to | | | | to develop their own telecommunication systems with |
| medium sized companies to meet their communication | | | | a patchwork combination of multi-line telephones, |
| requirements. Telecom industry finds it difficult to deal | | | | answering machines and expensive telephone |
| with needs of small firms and home-based businesses, | | | | company services. |
| as it may not be economically viable to provide | | | | Larger phone systems are far more powerful, offering |
| service. | | | | features such as flexible automated call answering, call |
| Over the last few years, telephone systems have | | | | messaging and call routing that can improve a |
| grown technologically by leaps and bounds. However, | | | | company's professional image, substantially reduce |
| for the most part, small businesses do not have | | | | communication costs and increase connectivity and |
| enough resources to invest in ever-changing newer | | | | efficiency. Small businesses are considered as the |
| features. With recent introduction of Voice over IP | | | | vanguard of a country's economic growth. Needs for |
| telephony, the gap between small business needs and | | | | advanced phone systems by small businesses are |
| products available in the market appears to get wider. | | | | definitely as important as those of its larger |
| Over the years, emerging technologies have been able | | | | counterparts. |
| to produce equipment at lower and lower costs. | | | | Most small businesses in United States have been |
| Introduction of new features are simultaneously | | | | using a normal single line telephone. Obviously, a big |
| resulting in price reduction for most office telecom | | | | market exists for state-of-art small business phone |
| equipment. However, full-featured phone systems | | | | systems with five to twenty lines. |
| have remained largely out of reach for small | | | | Lately some small business telephone systems have |
| companies due to large infrastructure to be cost | | | | appeared in the market. However, these are mostly |
| effective. | | | | scaled-down versions of the larger telephone systems |
| The prices for small telephone systems have not | | | | and still remain too expensive for small business |
| decreased as rapidly as those for other office | | | | budgets. |
| equipment. Most small companies have no choice but | | | | |