Why to use Asterisk PABX rather then Panasonic or Siemens etc?
Asterisk is open source software that is used to build a PABX solution. Asterisk is not new. Asterisk was created in 1999. Beside big corporations in USA who use asterisk, Google, yahoo and USA Army
Asteirsk is adopted by many in Pakistan too, eg Airblue, Aftab Currency, Dukin Donuts, Getz Pharma, Nayatel, Watteen, Zameen. Etc etc
Now the real question is why use asterisk and why not panasonic or any other exchange.
Asterisk PBX
- Protect your investment: Asterisk is future proof you never have to throw Asterisk PABX. It is expandable, add more switches, gateways, RAM or hardisk etc; it is scalable.
- Features: Asterisk offers all the basic or advance features Asterisk is programmable it can create more features.
- Cost and Total Cost of Ownership. Asterisk at small scale like in 25 employees offer might be as costly as Panasonic but TCO is less. On other land Asterisk at large scale is even more cost effective. Asterisk can be services by any Network specilist IT graduate.
- Asterisk is like Andriod. Many 3rd party vendors who make Asterisk PABX, IP Phones Gateways means many options are available and are low cost too.
- Application Integrations. Asterisk can integrate CRM, ERP, ticketing system or order taking system, Asterisk is truly CTI
Panasonic / Proprietary PBX
- Panasonic is fix ports box, based on an embaded system. In order to expand you have to throw old model and buy new model.
- Panasonic offers the same features but most of them paid or limited in ability. You cannot really go into system and change things on limited configuration.
- Cost and Total Cost of Ownership. Small Panasonic PABX might seem cheap but they have higher replacement cost in future, TCO is high. Maintenance cost is high. Panasonic is serviced and maintained by special by authorized person.
- Panasonic is like Iphone. Everything by Panasonic their own telephone sets, operator sets, even their own proprietary cables, You at the mercy of single vendor.
- Panasonic is not integrated with any of such applications. You cannot program it to this level otherwise company push their own expensive software