What is a cloud PBX?
A cloud PBX is a business phone system hosted by a provider in its data centers and delivered over the internet. It gives a company the features of a traditional PBX, such as extensions, transfers, menus and voicemail, without any phone hardware on site.
How it works
The provider runs the PBX software and connects it to the telephone network. Your team's apps and IP desk phones register with it over the internet, wherever they are.
You manage users, numbers, routing and menus in a web dashboard. Adding a person or a number takes minutes instead of a technician visit.
Billing is usually per user per month, with numbers and calling plans included or added on, and the provider handles maintenance, updates and redundancy.
Why it matters
01No hardware
Nothing to buy, house or repair, and no lock-in to a box that ages.
02Remote ready
Extensions work from home, on the road or in a new office the same day.
03Faster changes
Routing, hours and menus are edited in software by the team itself.
Allo and Cloud PBX
Allo is a cloud phone system: numbers in 50+ countries, routing and IVR, desktop and mobile apps, with calls recorded and summarized into your CRM.
Related terms
The terms that usually come up in the same conversation.
All glossary terms
Frequently asked questions
A cloud PBX uses VoIP to carry calls, but it is more than that: it is the system that holds your numbers, extensions and routing rules.
Good providers run redundant data centers, so the main risk is your own internet connection. Mobile apps on cellular data are a useful backup.
Usually yes, by porting them from your current carrier to the cloud PBX provider.