Cox Business has teamed with Cisco Systems Inc. to deliver managed IP PBX services to businesses with less than 100 employees.Cox claims to have more than 260,000 business customers in markets, such as healthcare, higher education, and financial services. The new Cox Business service is based on the Cisco Unified Communications 500 Series for Small Business IP PBX, which supports 104 users. The service features support for up to five networked locations, four-digit dialing and an integrated PC toolbar.

Managed Voice over IP (VoIP) services have been gaining interest among small and medium businesses because they often can cut costs and deliver more services to employees. However, there is plenty of competition in the space. Start-ups have been entering this space. Established service providers, such as AT&T and Verizon, have been expanding their VoIP service offerings. Other traditional cable companies, such as Comcast, have been moving more squarely into the telecommunications services market. The Cox service is available only in Oklahoma and Las Vegas, but the company is expected to expand its coverage area. Cox has identified a market with potential, but time will pass before it becomes clear how much success it will experience with this endeavor.