Telecoms startup NoPBX has activated over 1,000 new PBX-over-GSM switchboards since its commercial launch in October 2020.
“The launch of our smartphone-based cloud PBX system has proved especially timeous as SMEs push back against the Coronavirus slump by adopting new, more effective and more affordable technologies to do business better,” says NoPBX co-founder Anton Potgieter.
The pandemic forced SMEs to rapidly explore new digital solutions that would enable them to stay in business and to operate leaner businesses as the economy contracted.
“Developed in South Africa, NoPBX enables users to start making business calls on their new business phone number in minutes. Over 1 000 firms of all sizes have now installed phone systems free from the usual onerous telecoms infrastructure overheads, while experiencing a no-headache PBX solution that delivers consistently excellent call quality and zero fraud events,” Potgieter adds.
After a devastating 2020, South Africa’s economy has now notched up four successive quarters of positive GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth.
Potgieter explains that NoPBX clients span the entire economic spectrum and include guest houses, estate agents, financial consultants, car dealers, farmers, non-profits, schools, transport operators and many others.
NoPBX has found particular favour with enterprises of up to 10 staff members, often with staff working from home that can now be up and running instantly with no investment or telecoms equipment required. There is also no limit to the number of users one can have on NoPBX, theoretically giving customers unlimited scope for expansion.
“South Africa has been a brilliant proving ground for the NoPBX solution because we have a business community open to mobile-based technology, as well as world-class cellphone networks. We’re already actively entertaining expansion opportunities abroad even as SA increases its accelerating NoPBX uptake,” Potgieter says.
NoPBX runs all of its calls over the existing GSM mobile networks, that are highly secure and impervious to the many types of fraud and call quality issues that have plagued local VoIP-based PBX users for many years.
Prior to the launch of NoPBX, corporates and SMEs alike could typically wait days or even weeks for VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) or traditional fixed lines, handsets and infrastructure to be delivered and installed at their premises. In stark contrast, the average set-up and commissioning time for a full working NoPBX system is under 20 minutes, according to a survey conducted last month.
“Business owners have seldom had to face so many hurdles and critical events outside of their core business. With so much background noise going on, it’s important to simplify as many routine business processes as possible. Being able to easily make perfect clarity business calls that reflect your corporate ID correctly on the receiver’s side, using just your existing smartphones, is a huge leap forward in effective simplicity,” concludes Potgieter.
