The Best 3 Affordable Asterisk IP-PBX UC Appliance Systems
Unified communications is a salesmen's buzzword for what has been most of the past decade. Not only was it once
used to describe features that are expected in any system, (think voicemail to email or find me, follow me),
the term Unified Communications or UC became so over used that
every new feature that someone could package into their PBX placed it as a
"truly unified communication's package". So, it is with some trepidation that we
place all three of our best Asterisk based IP PBX choices as devices that can
bring lots of great communication applications under one umbrella, or UC
devices, but they truly are. And they are are all easy to use, easy to
configure and manage and are very affordable. These on-premise business
phone solutions are for those that want control and in-house management of
their communications.
Top 3 asterisk IP-PBX Systems for Small to Medium Businesses
Our number three Asterisk IP PBX Yeastar, comes from China. Yeastar makes VoIP hardware and its MyPBX SOHO is a well built small appliance that offers all the great features of Asterisk, which is more than enough for most small offices. It can match well with most SIP phones, but when packaged with Yealink phones, which have a solid well founded reputation worldwide, it becomes an excellent affordable system. NOTE: The Yeastar S20 and S50 series PBXs have replaced the SOHO and have more robust hardware and advanced features. Yeastar continues to build some of the beat VoIP PBX systems.
Number two, the PBXact from Sangoma, is built upon an open source mainstay FreePBX. After Sangoma, already known for their excellent telephony gateway hardware, bought Schmooze, which owned FreePBX, they continued on their commitment to build a UC appliance and develop an array of software applications matched for the device. Some of these applications do require an extra license fee, however for some businesses they can be both an excellent value and easy to setup. These licensed pay for services do deviate from the general open source model, so each company should calculate their individual needs and their potential costs. Sangoma also manufactures their S series IP phones, the only phones built purposely for FreePBX and manufactured specifically for FreePBX systems only. With some existing outstanding applications and more potentially to come, the PBXact UC 40 matched with S series phones makes it as one of top 3 best affordable ip-pbx unified communication's system on the market. NOTE: The PBXact and Sangoma FreePBX appliances are still a top choice in 2018.
Which brings us to our number one Asterisk based IP PBX, the Grandstream UCM6202. With 2 FXO ports built in, an existing company with PSTN lines can continue using those lines and move into IP (VoIP). Grandstream, well known for their networking hardware products, has committed to their UCM series IP PBXs with an all in attitude. Believing that more and more companies will be moving towards an in-house on premise IP PBX and away from the cloud, they'll need a device that can handle all of their other SIP endpoints, namely cameras, facility management devices, and video conferencing. An in-house system will end up saving expenses on both hardware and multiple cloud service fees as long as someone can manage the configure, setup and administration, which Grandstream addresses with all their step by step guides, online videos, and support. With a huge endpoint capacity, the UCM6200 series offers the SMB business the appliance to handle so much of their needs. And Grandstream is hoping the endpoints will all be their products. NOTE: Grandstream's award winning UCM6200 series IP-PBXs continue to be a top choice.
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1) Grandstream UCM6202
Up to 500 SIP devices and 30 concurrent calls (45 for the 6204). 2 FXO ports (4 for the 6204)
Grandstream started with a commitment to a low cost Asterisk appliance back in 2014 when they won the Product of the Year and have just kept making it better. The UCM6200 series, uses Asterisk 13, offers 2 FXO ports ( 4 with the 6204) that allows connections to traditional phone lines, a great plus for those companies that want to keep some of their telco lines and offers built-in features, all without any cost per feature or any license fees. Affordability without sacrifice, the UCM6202 appliance comes in lower in cost than anyone of its peers and adding their mid-range award winning GXP1700 phones make a Grandstream IP PBX system one of the best unified communications packages for SMBs.
- Auto Discovery and Zero Configuration of Grandstream SIP endpoints - Grandstream has a wide variety of endpoints, including not just phones, but video cameras, video conferencing, video calling, facility management solutions, etc.
- Intuitive GUI - Easy to learn with Mouse-over descriptions of each each field and best practices for setting up a specific field.
- No reoccurring or license fees at all.
- Advanced SIP security protocols
- CRM Integration for SugarCRM and Salesforce.
- Support - Lots of support documents, online posting board and instructional videos plus over the phone support when using Grandstream endpoint.
Grandstream UCM6200 Series Datasheet
2) Sangoma PBXact UC 40
Supports up to 40 licensed users and 30 simultaneous calls. (No built-in FXO ports and unable to accept any.)
Based on popular FreePBX, in use in hundreds of thousands of deployments worldwide, (now owned by Sangoma after they purchased Schmooze) wrapped over Asterisk, the PBXact UC devices are made to take the guess work and configuration challenges away from the end user by having a great well crafted commercially supported* solution ready to go out of the box. Their precursor, the UC 10 was so popular it was discontinued because of production issues (failure to keep up with demand) and replaced by the UC 40. That says a lot and shows Sangoma is committed to their PBXact UC series appliances. With so many features it's worth listing a few that show the UC is a standout choice, and for those that require them, a few add-ons (licensed applications), like a suite of advanced call center apps, can make this the right choice.
- Quick-Start Installation Wizard - Easy to get your new PBX set up with basic conjurations with management console.
- Zero Touch Provisioning - Easy phone setup with Sangoma's S series phones.
- Native VPN Client for secure remote connections (Sangoma phones).
- FAX PRO - Allows users to attach a pdf to an email and send the email to a certain phone number.
- Call Recording Reports - A complete management system for recorded calls.
- CRM Integration
- Support - Sangoma offers lots of how-to information on their online wiki and offers support packages for the PBXact UC series.
- Excellent suite of advanced Call Center features.
Sangoma PBXact UC 40 Datasheet
Sangoma PBXact UC 40 UC Review
For the Best Prices on Samgoma phones and UC appliances from trusted
sources:
Sangoma Phones
3) Yeastar MyPBX SOHO
Supports up to 32 IP Phone Users and 15 concurrent calls. (No built-in FXO ports, but can accept a FXO module.)
Yeastar is growing worldwide with their excellent products. Their MyPBX SOHO is an affordable, feature rich IP PBX that has been getting kudos from users withy its ease of setup and intuitive GUI for configuration. And with Yealink phones, which have been being used by thousands upon thousands of Asterisk deployments, it is a complete IP PBX system that comes in as one of the most affordable on the market. With a commitment and current expansion of their North America market, Yeastar is fast becoming a strong competitor with their complete line of VoIP equipment.
- No License Fees - Full featured Asterisk based appliance without reoccurring fees.
- Multiple Language Support - Multi-language Web interface and voice
prompts makes it a great choice for worldwide satellite offices. - Can accept up to 4 FXO port module for PSTN connectivity.
- Pairs well with Yeastar phones for easy setup and configuration. However, if you already own SIP phones like Polycom, snom, Panasonic, Aastra, Cisco, etc.; many are included in the auto-configuration app, (however research models and possible issues).
- Easy management - Intuitive and user-friendly Web interface.
- Embedded system with low power consumption.
- Support - Good online support documents, knowledge portal and online training courses available from Yeastar Academy.
- Excellent Hotel App for hospitality.
For great prices and fast free shipping for Yeastar equipment from trusted sources: Yeastar VoIP PBXs
There are advantages with installation when a system has the phones from the same company as the appliance. Zero touch installation is so easy and quick that if you have the choice use the phones from the same manufacturer. Grandstream UCM with Grandstream phones, Sangoma FreePBX with Sangoma S-series phones. Companies test and harden features with their own phones. The Yeastar company works closely with Yealink, so their phones are the best match.
Grandstream UCM6202/04 puts it together- Add Video
- Grandstream's UCM6202 comes with 2 FXO ports already built in, so there is no need for an extra card. If you need 4, then get the UCM6204.
- Grandstream products never require licensing fees and are specifically designed so that a small companies' internal staff or IT guy can administer and manage the network.
- Facility Management - The 6200 UCM is compatible with an IP Door Access Camera which creates the ideal entrance solution using a Grandstream Video phone.
- GSurf Pro - Grandstream’s free Video Management Software is available for video surveillance needs.
Sangoma PBXact UC Software and Licensed Apps.
Sangoma offers support levels through POMP (Peace of Mind Packages), an optional agreement available for PBXact for companies that may require them. For users that don't need extra optional support packages, Sangoma's FreePBX Phone System 40, the only officially supported hardware solution for FreePBX, is an excellent choice. It comes preloaded with the FreePBX Distro offering users control over which features to add.
Sangoma has taken a slightly more traditional PBX manufacturer model, charging license fees for some of their software products. These applications are easy to install with full integration and the cost can turn out beneficial, especially for the suite of advanced call center applications.
- XactView Operator Panel - A dedicated dashboard, good for secretaries or managers who need complete control of the call flow in the company.
- XactView Operator Panel Queue License - Required for companies wishing to monitor live metrics of phone queues.
- Call Center Features - A variety of advanced software apps for Call Centers.
- SIPStation - Sangoma’s SIP Trunking service built-in to FreePBX. (*NOTE: There are alternative SIP trunk services that may be more cost effective, however keeping one vendor for several applications can be beneficial.)
Want to know what one of these phone systems cost? We put together hardware pricing for each of our top three asterisk pbx systems based on a 15 phone installation. Each example includes a managed POE switch, the PBX appliance, the phones and a side panel for the receptionist. Costs for a Asterisk based PBX Phone System
Yeastar is Moving Forward
Yealink, a leading VoIP equipment manufacturer, well known for their affordable, dependable IP phones is a decade long-standing partner of Yeastar. Together their IP PBX solution offers easy deployment and configuration.
In June 2016 Yeastar launched a new line of IP PBX that enhances both features and ease of configuration; the S-Series VoIP PBX systems for SMB market. Additionally, they announced a collaboration with Loway, maker of Queuemetrics, an excellent Asterisk Call Center software, which now makes Yeastar a viable choice for those that need a great solution for a call center. The Yeastar S-Series VoIP PBX (S20, S50, S100 and S300) offer an excellent PBX solution and are capable of taking modules including PRI.
NOTE: The S series IP PBX appliance base model (cards for FXO and other modules are additional) has a cost under $400.00.
UCM6102 vs Yeastar MyPBX SOHO
The following pdf document offers details comparing the two appliances.
Yeastar MyPBX SOHO vs Grandstream UCM6102
Best on-premise IP-pbxs
These IP-PBX UC appliances beat out all others to be the very best. Since their introduction each has remained as a top choice for an on-premise VoIP server for those that want great advanced features, excellent value and a system that can be maintained by in house personnel.