Some people believe that the IP telephony is not a completely reliable solution for the organization of the office telephone communication. This is a complete misjudgment. Indeed, owing to the active development and spread of broadband access to the Internet IP telephony is getting not only cheaper but a more reliable option when compared to the usual landline PBX. Let’s note that in a situation with an IP telephony PBX is replaced with software based on Asterisk-type IP server. It allows you to quickly establish communication with the existing local network, with telephone users located remotely from the business units.

Software servers of Asterisk type can operate with any type of telephone lines (analog, digital). By using special expansion card (e.g. Digium) they can be connected to the E1 / T1 lines, ready to operate with 10 or even 100 telephone lines!

After installation of Asterisk PBX users get an access to the functions that used to be available only to the large corporate clients. Thus, you can work with voice mail, a convenient voice menu, and call recording. At the same time, it is possible to put in place ongoing calls, distribute them to subscribers (this is done with the help of special algorithms). Just a few years ago these features weren’t available for the owners of PBX with an average capacity below 16 telephone users. Well, it would have been possible but only after modernization of PBX by installing rather expensive expansion cards.

If a company has got a structured cable network the installation of Asterisk doesn’t require cabling and setting the gateway for the Internet providers. What you need is only to have an available server with not the most expensive hardware. Obviously, it will cost a few times cheaper compared to standard PBX implemented in the basic configuration.

It must be noted that Asterisk is a freeware product. You pay only for the server installation, customization and maintenance. At the same time there are no restrictions on the number of subscribers (Asterisk can be connected to hundreds of customers).

It turns out that scaling of telephone network will not take as much time as the organization of a standard PBX, as well as synchronization of multiple exchanges.

Asterisk server has a modular structure from software point of view. It allows you to add or reboot modules in software without interruption of active compounds.

Asterisk functions perfectly on OS Solaris, FreeBSD, and GNU / Linux. It has an open license and it is actively supported by a large number of enthusiasts from all over the world.

Many large manufacturers of telecommunication equipment use Asterisk in their production facilities (for example, it is a part of Linksys IP equipment).

Before sending data to the network Asterisk uses reliable methods for voice encoding (codec G.711).