A NEW voice-call service in Singapore could help cash-strapped small businesses banish call-transfer hell.

Announced last Friday, the new system is the result of a collaboration between Panasonic Systems Asia Pacific and the Singapore-based unified communications provider SuperInternet.

The system, called PBX-ISPRI, provides direct dial-in (DDI) services.

In other words, it lets businesses set up multiple direct phone numbers for their employees, via only one office telephone line subscription.

While DDI services are readily available in Singapore, the PBX-ISPRI claims to be 60 per cent cheaper than similar offerings here, in terms of set-up and operating costs.

As many as 24 individual phone numbers can be created with the PBX-ISPRI, an acronym for Private Branch Exchange-Integrated Service Packet Routing Interchange.

This makes it ideal for small businesses with less than 30 employees, said Panasonic.

Besides DDI, they will also get a number of call management service features, including free caller ID display, call transfer from anywhere and voice mail.

Three service plans were announced by SuperInternet at the launch, namely the ISPRI-3, ISPRI-4 and ISPRI-6.

The cheapest is the ISPRI-3, which provides eight DDI numbers for a monthly subscription fee of $99 and a one-time set-up fee of $300. Additional direct call numbers can also be purchased at a unit rate of $2 per month.

'There is already a queue of businesses lining up for this service,' said Doreen Tan, senior manager of SuperInternet, adding that the services will be rolled out this week.

A Panasonic executive compared the service to several Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN)-based DDI services here.

Taking into account subscription and set-up costs, ISPRI is 60 per cent cheaper than a comparable plan, he said.

The estimation does not, however, include the price of a requisite PBX. A compatible Panasonic PBX costs between S$3,000 and S$5,000 and must be purchased before the service can be activated.

A PBX is a device that connects the internal phone systems of an organisation with the public telephone network.

PBX-ISPRI is available through four authorised Panasonic dealers here. They are Heng Lee Seng Electronics, Hyper Communication, Jia Ying Trading and Teligraph Business Systems.

At the launch, Panasonic donated a PBX to the Handicaps Welfare Association.

Leslie Teo, executive director of the Handicaps Welfare Association, said the association plans to subscribe to the ISPRI-4 service.

'Our phone receptionist will be happy,' he remarked.

And so will the association's accountants, since it can now cancel four of the five phone lines it currently subscribes to, which support a staff of 40.