PABX System Installation
The PBX was first used by operators running company switchboards and, with the advent of the automatic system, two terms were coined to differentiate between the automatic and the manual systems:
• PABX: Private Automatic Branch Exchange
• PMBX: Private Manual Branch Exchange
Today PBX and PABX are synonymous, as the manual switchboards are no longer used.
The components of a PABX phone system
The following is a comprehensive list of components required for a PABX phone system installation:
• The PABX’s internal switching network,
• Microcontroller or microcomputer for arbitrary data processing, control and logic,
• Logic cards, switching and control cards, power cards and related devices that facilitate PABX operation,
• Stations or telephone sets, sometimes called lines,
• Outside Telephone company trunks that deliver signals to (and carry them from) the PABX,
• Console or switchboard allows the operator to control incoming calls,
• Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS), consisting of sensors, power switches and batteries,
• Interconnecting wiring,
• Cabinets, closets, vaults and other housings.
