Product Reviews

If you run a small office and want a professional phone system, a traditional PBX is an expensive way to go. Instead, a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) product, such as the SwyxWare server, is likely to be a better choice.

SwyxWare, which requires a dedicated PC, controls all your telephony including voicemail and conference calls. It can route outgoing calls over standard telephone or ISDN lines.

You'll need someone who has a good grasp of networking to do the installation. It's also handy to have

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a Windows domain, as this makes it easier to deal with users, and a mail server is a must. After installation, which takes care of the tricky job of configuring the database, it's ready to run.

Configuration options include choosing which numbers a person can dial and their extension. We also had to configure the SwyxGate software, which routes IP calls over a standard telephone line.

You control hold music, pre-recorded messages and the other components that make up a phone system. A wizard takes you through the initial steps. It's worth following or you'll have to put up with the clunky German-accented demonstration recording.

We were provided with two SwyxIt! USB handsets. These plug into a PC and, via the SwyxIt! software, turn the PC into a phone. The benefit is that a user's extension is diverted to the PC where they are logged on.

Telephony is complex, but Swyx has produced a product that's good value and fairly easy to manage. However, we'd recommend reading the full list of features and even talking to a distributor before you rip out your old telephone system.