The main station user interface to the PBX system is the telephone, but today s typical voice terminal bears little resemblance to the desktop instrument used a generation ago. Telephones are still regarded as a necessary communications tool, despite the growing popularity of the Internet and e-mail. Desktop computers currently may outnumber telephones in a growing number of offices, but real-time voice communications remains an important business priority. Telephones represent a significant percentage of the upfront purchase price of a PBX system and are the most primary variable cost element for any system installation. There are wide price variations among telephones, based on the technology platform (analog, digital, ISDN BRI, IP, mobile) and model (entry, standard, advanced, executive, etc.). Minimal function, industry-standard 2500-type analog telephones can be purchased for less than $50, but multiple-line appearance models with a few add-on options can break the $1,000 barrier. Due to these price variations, telephones may represent as little as 15 percent, or as much as 50 percent of PBX system costs. Desktop functions and performance correlate directly to the price of the telephone, and customers are often confused about which type of telephone might fully exploit the feature and function capabilities of their PBX system. The accompanying diagram illustrates the current price range of desktop PBX digital, BRI, and IP telephone instruments without module options (Figure 13-1).

Figure 13-1: PBX telephone price ranges.