enterprise pbx compare focus

8/8/2019 Enterprise Pbx Compare Focus

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Focus Research 2008

Focus Research

March 2008

Enterprise PBX Comparison Guide


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Enterprise PBX Comparison Guide 2Focus Research 2008

3Com Altigen Avaya Cisco

3Com NBX V3000 BRI-ST AltiServ IP OfceUnifed Call Manager/Media

Convergence Server 7800 Series

Features

Outlook

Integration

Included Included Optional via VoiceMail Pro Included

Integrated Voice

Response

Yes, with optional add-on Multiple options with call-center sotware Included Included

Call Center

Support

Basics included, advanced capabilitiesavailable with add-on

With call center sotware Yes, with optional add-on Included

Sotware

Platorm

Security-hardened Linux Windows-based IP Ofce release 4 Either Windows or Linux

Hardware

Platorm

Proprietary V3000 NBX platorm Proprietary Avaya Ofce IP 500 Cisco CallManager and MediaConvergence servers

Supported

Protocol(s)

SIP (Session Initiation Protocol),H.323, 802.x and many more protocolssupported

SIP, H.323, 802.x and many moreprotocols supported


SIP, H.323 and numerous otherstandards

Managementand

Administration

Browser-based interace supportsprovisioning, regular administration andmanagement eatures and integrateswith 3Com's enterprise network-management suites

User- and system-management sotwareoptions

Windows-based graphical system-management tools and end user/clienttools

Suite o management and administrationtools that support unctions acrossgroups o phones as well as singlephones

Phone Support Mult ip le th ird-party SIP dev ices Two proprietary, IP hardphones, onesotphone and analog phone support

Numerous hard SIP phones

Analog Phone

Support

Yes, built-in Yes Yes Yes


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Nortel Networks Pingtel ShoreTel Siemens

Communications

Server 1000 Release 4SIPxchange

Shoretel 7 IP

Phone SystemHiPath 3500

Features

Outlook

Integration

With integrated conerence bridge Not available Included Included with HiPath Expressions

Integrated Voice

Response

Included Included Included Included with HiPath Expressions

Call Center

Support

Included Included Included With HiPath Pro Center Compact

Sotware

Platorm

VXWorks Linux ShoreTel 7 Proprietary

Hardware

Platorm

Proprietary Standard Linux servers Proprietary Shoretel Shoregear switches Proprietary

Supported

Protocol(s)

SIP and H.323 SIP and H.323 SIP and MGCP SIP, H.323, 802.x and many moreprotocols supported

Management

andAdministration

Windows and Web-based management

tools, including trafc analysis,confguration o Meridian digital andIP telephones, and perormance o calltracking and billing unctions

Web-based GUI is intuitive with simple

navigational structure; management ophones can be challenging

Through one browser, you can manage

all the sites, including the PBX, voicemail, automated attendant and desktopapplications.

Lacks integrated interace; individual

tools are eective; good monitoring andlook or deployment tool

Phone Support Nortel IP phones and sotphones Dozens o IP phones and devices viaSIP

ShoreTel telephones and sotphones Most SIP phones, plus analog phonesupport. Siemens' own phones areamong the best.

Analog Phone

Support

Yes Supports all SIP compliant FXSgateways

Yes Yes


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Sphere Switchvox TalkSwitch Whaleback

Sphericall Switchvox PBX 48-CVACrystalBlue

Voice SMB 1500

Features

Outlook

Integration

Included Included Included Included

Integrated Voice

Response

Included Included Included Included

Call Center

Support

Included With add-on Yes No (integrates with third-party vendor.)

Sotware

Platorm

Windows XP Web-based administration and userportals

Proprietary Proprietary

Hardware

Platorm

Industry-standard servers Proprietary tower servers Proprietary Proprietary

Supported

Protocol(s)

SIP and MGCP SIP, H.323, 802.x and many moreprotocols supported



Management

andAdministration

Sphericall comes with Web-based and

Windows-based tools or managing andadministering the system.

Easy Web-based tools or administration. Windows Based TalkSwitch sotware to

provide management and administration

Part o service provided by vendor

Phone Support End devices rom Aastra, Eutectics,Grandstream Networks, Polycom andSpectraLink

All SIP compatible phones Works with Polycom and GrandstreamIP phones

Polycom IP phones

Analog Phone

Support

Yes Yes Yes Yes


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3Com NBX

V3000 BRI-STAltiServ IP Ofce

Unifed Call Manager/Media


Security Encrypted VoIP, strong phoneauthentication and strong managementsecurity

No VoIP secur ity hybr id system Encrypted VoIP, strong phoneauthentication, strong managementsecurity

Excellent encrypted VoIP, phoneauthentication and managment security

IP Station

Capacity

Expandable up to 1,500 lines 48 users per box with mult iple boxes overall system supports up to severalhundred users

Starts at 32 lines, expandable to 270lines

Up to 7,500 phones per server and30,000 phones per cluster

Modularity/

Expandability

Highly modular/expandable. Goodintegration with 3Com network products.

Modular and expandable, with unitssuitable or main ofces and branchofces

Modular and expandable with options ormain and branch ofces

Modular and expandable with cards/additional units; lots o additionalmodules or extra eatures

Reroute to PSTN

(public switched

telephone

network) on

ailure

Full ailover No but does explicitly include backupand disaster-recovery options

Yes Yes

Documentation/

Support

Enterprise level documentation andsupport levels

Enterprise-class support anddocumentation

Excellent support and richdocumentation or both users andadministrators


Pricing Starts at approx $20,000 or 50-usersystem

Up to $18,000 depending on resellerand precise eatures and confgurations

selected.

$16,900 Starts at approximately $20,000

Ease o

Installation

Flexible solution rom 3Com that canconnect directly to PSTN as well as IPnetworks. But it is also a complex systemthat requires proessional help to install.

Flexible system with lots o confgurableoptions; is managed by AltiAdminsotware

Installation straightorward; confgurationcumbersome at some points

Complex system that requires extensiveanalysis and testing beore deployment


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Digium Fonality Intuitive Voice Mitel

Asterisk

Business EditionPBXtra Evolution PBX V2.3

SX-200 IP

Communications Platorm

Security Encrypted VoIP, moderate phone,management and authentication security.Add-ons can extend security.

Encrypted VoIP, moderate phone,management and authentication security.Add-ons can extend security.

Encrypted VoIP, moderate phone,management and authentication security.

Strong encrypted VoIP, phoneauthentication and management security

IP Station

Capacity

40 simultaneous calls/server; 240simultaneous calls/server with upgrade

300 Up to 240 lines 248 plus additional desktop stations andanalog lines

Modularity/

Expandability

Expandable and modular low costmakes it easy to upgrade or branchofce



Allows expansion up to more than 600users

Reroute to PSTN

(public switched

telephone

network) on

ailure

No No No Yes

Documentation/

Support

Includes Asterisk user manual and quick-start guide; ree support or one year

Responsive support with ast responsetimes; 'open-source' style documentation

Oers support and services ongoing.Documentation is basic andstraightorward.

Enterprise class support anddocumentation

Pricing Starts at $995 Starts at $995 Starts at $995 $12,000

Ease o

Installation

Integrated installation now muchimproved. At heart, a simpler systemthan the complex proprietary solutionsbut still not plug and play.

Intuitive GUI streamlines installation;delivered as appliance; up and running in30 minutes

Asterisk-based turnkey system that iseasy to install and operate.

Straightorward installation viaMyAdministrator application


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Voice SMB 1500

Security Has been submitted or testing bythe U.S. Department o Deense andNational Security Agency and has met allthe requirements o these tests

Encrypted VoIP, good management andphone security

Encrypted VoIP, good management andphone security

Yes, encryption border session control,built-in

IP Station

Capacity

Scales to 30,000 Unlimited' in practice that meansseveral hundred

32 extensions per ofce location Up to 1,500

Modularity/

Expandability

Modular and expandable using standardservers and components

Limited can add more servers to addmore lines

Can be expanded to slightly more than100 lines

Easily expanded at any time

Reroute to PSTN

(public switched

telephone

network) on

ailure

Yes No No No but is externally monitored tooptimize uptime

Documentation/

Support


Good support and documentation,online support center

Excellent support and documentation Good documentation support part ovendor service

Pricing Unusual pricing model more similar tohosted solution - $199 per user license Starts at $995, inc luding hardware Starts at $595, including hardware $49.95 per li ne, so $999 or 20 li nes connection cost included

Ease o

Installation

Sphere Communications' installation andcut-over services include the installationo the Sphericall product, endpointinstallation and testing, trunk testing andon-site customer troubleshooting.

Straightorward, sotware-based systembuilt on top o Asterisk that runs on astandard Linux server. Package comespreinstalled on the server.

Easy customer install with PC-basedinterace and plug in to LAN

Installed and managed by vendor as parto hybrid managed system/service


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3Com NBX

V3000 BRI-STAltiServ IP Ofce

Unifed Call Manager/Media


Target Business

Size

Medium to large enterprise SMB (small- to medium-sized business) SMB Large enterprise

VoIP-News

Comments

A scalable and powerul proprietarysolution that integrates well with other3Com products. Most advanced eaturesrequire add-ons, and it is recommendedthat installation and confgurationservices be used to make best use othe product.

Older company with very robust systemthat continues to be extended; eature-rich

Award-winning. Good choice orreliability and perormance.

A highly scalable, powerul and extremelyextendable solution.


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Digium Fonality Intuitive Voice Mitel

Asterisk

Business EditionPBXtra Evolution PBX V2.3

SX-200 IP

Communications Platorm

Target Business

Size

SMB Medium enterprise SMB SMB

VoIP-News

Comments

Digium adds valuable commerciallicense, support and documents toalready robust Asterisk

Low-cost, all-inclusive system. Good orhybrid IP/analog setup requiring easymaintenance

Low-cost Asterisk system clear pricingand support options.

High-end communications system withvery many unifed communicationseatures, including integration o mobiledevices


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Nortel Networks Pingtel ShoreTel Siemens

Communications Server

1000 Release 4SIPxchange

Shoretel 7 IP

Phone SystemHiPath 3500

Target Business

Size

Medium to large enterprise Medium enterprise SMB to medium enterprise SMB

VoIP-News

Comments

Proprietary, rich solution with lots oeatures and complexity

Straightorward, open-source-basedPBX solution running on standard Linuxboxes

Straightorward, relatively easy to installbut proprietary solution.

High-end system with good security.Siemens can deliver systems all the wayup to enterprise level.


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Voice SMB 1500

Target Business

Size

Medium to large enterprise SMB SMB Medium businesses

VoIP-News

Comments

Open-platorm based, powerul solution.In particular has powerul eaturesor building custom SOAP and XMLapplications.

Low-price, all-inclusive system. Flexiblerange o options.

Straightorward hybrid system or thevery low end o the SMB market turnkey systems

Unusual system on-premise butcompletely managed by the vendor. Veryaggressive pricing

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