3CX Vs Asterisk – Which is the Better Business Phone System?

Want your business to run with the giants? How about switching from the traditional PBX to an IP-PBX system?

Business phone systems encompass a wide range of systems from the key telephone system (KTS) to PBX (Private Branch Exchange). The PBX streamlines an enterprise’s communicationboth internally and externally, using various communication channels e.g. ISDN, VoIP or analogue.

There is more to a Business Phone Systems appthan its listed features and pricing. Its flexibility to meet your requirements, software support and mobile support for the devices you work on, languages and supported countries are equally important. Both 3CX and Asterisk offer products/solutions effective in call routing, handling VoIP, IVR and voicemail.How do the two systems compare?

What are the Differences Between a 3CX andAsterisk?

3CX Vs Asterisk – How Do They Compare?

The PBX supports a given maximum number of outside phone lines (trunks) and internal extensions. Users share trunks when making external calls. An IP PBX opens up many possibilities however. Not just in supporting unlimited trunks and extensions, but easily bringing on board complex functions like queues, ring groups, digital assistants, reporting and voice mail. Let’s see how these 2 perform.

Operating system and Distribution

3CX is popular for its Windows version, though it has a Linux version too. Asterisk on the other hand is well known for its Unix/Linux version though it also has a windows version. Though majority of Asterisk based IP PBX were of Linux operating system in the past, recent ones have Windows. All the same, most of the hardware – motherboards and peripheral components, are still Linux based.

Asterisk is a powerful software based PBX distributed in a number of ways. The first is the command line driven open sourced distribution. The software is downloaded free, compiled using a Linux version like Centos or UBUNTU and administered through the command line CL1 interface.

Next, there is an asterisk-based distribution, freely available to the public for download. Examples include FreePBX, trixbox CE and Asterisk Now. The key feature with this distribution is that with the source code running in the background, a user or administrator can make configuration changes through the Graphical Web GUI interface. Finally, there are commercial asterisk based PBX like SOHO software or Switchvox SMB (considered a paid commercial product).

3CX is an IP PBX that is Windows-based and very popular with VoIP, since most people use window-based applications and operating systems. It uses available windows servers since it is completely software-based. It comes in both free and paid commercial versions, with the free version’s software being easy to upgrade to any commercial paid version.

Features and Integration

Both systems have comparable functional features in call routing, handling VoIP, IVR and voicemail. Both systems also have products that integrate with windows applications and unified messaging. The 3CX Hotel Billing and PMS integration is very popular in the hospitality industry.The Asterisk has an Outlook plug-in that enables click-to-call from outlook contacts.

User Dashboards

The 3CX assistance provides each user a PC based presence application which enables them set call rules, answer calls, chat and listen to voicemail.

For the Asterisk, the Switchvoxswitchboard allows users to drag and drop calls to other users, see other users real-time call status, customize to see google maps, access VM messages and many more.

3CX Vs Asterisk – A Comparison Overview

3CX

This software based open standards PBX business phone system enables businesses meet their daily communication needs at reduced costs, conduct meetings by web conferences and boost staff productivity. The 3CX offers highly advanced features like delivering fax and voicemail through email, viewing presence, holding webinars and online meetings and sending text messages.

The system is a great cost cutting venture. It enables remote workers to make free inter-office calls and customers to get lowered call rates. In addition, per extension billing and licensing is eliminated. The system also VoIP clients designed for Android and iOS devices, allowing users to transfer and handle calls from their smartphones. They can also view their coworker’s presence from any location.

3CX enables users to add a click and call extension to popular browsers like Firefox and chrome, and also to their existing CRM system. This ensures they automatically detect phone numbers on emails, web pages and their existing CRM system thus directly make calls within the CRM system or web browser.

Pros

• Easy to install and manage
• Works right after download
• Windows systems widely available
• Offers advanced features
• Automatic configuration for end points, gateways and SIP trunks
• Low call rates
• Easy upgrades
• View presence status of colleagues

Cons

• Supports fewer varieties than Asterisk

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Asterisk

Asterisk is an innovative open-sourced framework by Digium. It targets developers of voice, video and text solutions in small, large or medium enterprises. With this tool, an ordinary computer becomes a powerful server. The software has many pre-built aspects that handle both basic and highly advanced voice, video and text communications.

Asterisk supports many applications and services including automatic call distribution, conference bridges, voicemail and unified communications. The platform’s modular design simplifies the combining of PSTN interface, dialplan script and SIP channel. Asterisk allows addition of remote worker features and mobility. These features offer the necessary flexibility that suits individual company needs.

Pros

• Supports wide range of communication applications
• Flexible
• Many products to choose from

Cons

• Require technical skills to set up and configure
• Linux is not widely used

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Conclusion

Every company is unique and will maximize its benefits if it gets a Business Phone System solution designed for its size, customer type, niche and staff. There is no one solution that will be best suited for all businesses.Asterisk is quite popular in environments having Unix/Linux.

It offers many options to choose from and has an extensive list of features. This would therefore be your best system if your business runs on Linux. Unfortunately, many companies run on windows. The Asterisk windows version is not as popular as 3CX and companies running on Windows never want to introduce a Linux-based PBX.Thus, if your company runs on Windows, 3CX is your default system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. Is 3CX based on Asterisk?

No. 3CX is a windows-based IP PBX while Asterisk is a software based PBX

Q2. What is Asterisk in VoIP?

It is an open source framework that builds communications applications. It powers VoIP gateways, IP PBX systems, conference servers etc. It is commonly used in businesses, call centers and government agencies.