What Is a Cloud PBX?
A cloud PBX (Private Branch Exchange) is a business phone system that runs entirely in the cloud rather than on physical hardware at your office. It delivers all the features of a traditional PBX — extensions, call routing, hold music, conference calls, auto attendant — without the expensive on-site equipment.
You might hear it called hosted PBX, hosted VoIP, cloud phone system or virtual PBX. They all mean the same thing: your phone system is managed by a provider on secure cloud infrastructure, and you access it over your broadband connection.
Cloud PBX vs Traditional PBX — Key Differences
A traditional PBX sits in your server room or comms cupboard. It's a physical box that cost thousands to buy and thousands more to maintain. When it breaks, you call an engineer. When you need a new feature, you pay for an upgrade.
A cloud PBX has none of those problems. There's nothing to install on-site. Features are updated automatically by the provider. You pay monthly per user and scale up or down as your business changes.
What Features Does a Cloud PBX Include?
- Auto attendant — professional call routing menus
- AI receptionist — answers calls, books appointments, routes automatically
- Call recording — stored securely in the cloud
- Hunt groups — ring multiple phones simultaneously
- Voicemail to email — receive voice messages as audio files
- MS Teams integration — make and receive calls in Teams
- Call analytics — real-time dashboards and reporting
- Mobile app — full PBX features on any smartphone
Who Is Cloud PBX Best For?
- Businesses with 2–200+ users
- Companies with remote or hybrid workers
- Businesses wanting to replace aging ISDN/PBX before the 2027 switch-off
- Multi-site organisations wanting centralised management
- Businesses that want to scale without hardware investment
How Much Does a Cloud PBX Cost?
Telexico's cloud PBX is priced per user per month starting from £15. There are no setup fees for software configuration. Desk phones (if needed) start from £79 each. Most businesses find they save significantly vs their previous traditional PBX costs.