New PBX - Which one?
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Hello all. I have a small project that will require PBX functions. I normally use FreePBX and am most familiar with it. I also normally use voip.ms for the sip service.
This new instance would have approximately 2 phone numbers, 8 extensions (includes 2 door phones), and at least 3 physical locations. The phones will be Polycom as that is what they already have.
I know that voip.ms has some pbx functions now, but I am not sure how well it would work for my use case. The main location has 2 separate ISP that terminate into an Edgerouter 4 in failover mode. 10/10 fiber is primary and 50/5 cable as secondary. Other locations just have 100/5 cable. Does it make sense to attempt using voip.ms as a pbx? Would I be better off installing FreePBX as it is most familiar? Do I switch to a different PBX? Is VitalPBX an viable option in this case?
The reason for the change - The business has service from ATT and are being charged $2400/month just for 2 "off-premise extensions" which are POTS. Absolutely ridiculous. I have personally seen the biling statement. They received a letter stating the costs will be increasing on those lines next month.
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I think this really boils down to needed functionality.
If VOIP.ms' PBX functions provide you everything you need - I'd go that route, one less thing to manage, worry about.
But if you need more functionality - then I'd stick with what you know. Having been on both FreePBX and VitalPBX, I think today I'd stick with FreePBX because it really does seem more flexible.
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Wow - those speeds, the upload speed, are horrible. Is this company in sticks?
As for that $2400 just for two POTS lines (I assume they don't have PBX abilities, they are what - just part of a hunt group/queue?
Congrats to that company for suddenly saving $24K+/year!
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@dashrender I am still leaning towards FreePBX as it is what I know. I have had @JaredBusch bail me out on a system before, so I won't say I'm an "expert" by any means. I have never tried to use voip.ms in that capacity yet. I'll have to do some research to see it it would work properly.
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@dashrender They currently have an old "digital" Panasonic PBX but no ability to use SIP or have extensions at another location without cobbling something together. Yes, rural as well. The 2 off-prem POTS lines have their main number on them so they all ring at the same time.
The letter stated the cost would go from $1200 to $1500 for each extension. I can't believe they have been paying that ridiculous cost for as long as they have. We are talking many years.
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@brandon220 said in New PBX - Which one?:
The letter stated the cost would go from $1200 to $1500 for each extension. I can't believe they have been paying that ridiculous cost for as long as they have. We are talking many years.
Just - Just - Just - DAMN!
The value for those two people to answer calls of the main number must be astronomical to have made someone feel it was worth paying $1200/m each for that.
Do I assume that the old digital PBX couldn't do a queue and when the local people weren't available it could be forwarded out to the second line and if it didn't answer after say 3 rings, pull back and forward to the second one? Sure the customer experience isn't as great.. but damn!!! $2400 a month in value for that? They could have hired two people at $6/hr to answer phones at the main office, then transfer to the remote persons and gotten a TON more value from that...
The likely reality is that it didn't start out anywhere near that expensive when they first bought it 20+ years ago... and no one was paying attention as the price increased.
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@dashrender It is crazy to say the least. To top it off - the off-prem lines are only used on evenings and weekends. They are not used M-F 8-5.
It appears ATT is trying to price everyone out of POTS and other legacy services and push them to hosted services. ATT was going to move them to their managed VOIP service which now is apparently RingCentral for $33/mo per device. Originally they were quoted something lower but it changed. Strange any way you look at it.It could probably be made to work by forwarding from the old pbx, but that still requires them to keep POTS service at 3 locations. I think the features of SIP and a new system would give many advantages.
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@brandon220 Oh SIP is definitely the way to go here and a save a TON!
But even RC would be a HUGE savings for them today!
But your solution will save 50% or more over the cost of RC most likely.
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@brandon220 That is absolutely outrageous. That is my main business - we do hosted VoIP solutions and handle everything from the phone lines to to the management at a set monthly rate. Guaranteed we're about 90% cheaper than that - probably 95%, anyhow not trying to push our service but its an option if you want to set and forget it. Meanwhile ... For sure that sounds like a no brainer operation for a hosted solution with FreePBX. Different locations, doesn't matter, routing phone numbers wherever you want, works great. Want to add softphones with groundwire - that works too. I've heard AT&T wants to get out of some of that, and just WOW. I laugh my ass off when they charge $100 / line, but this brings it to a whole new level.
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Actually, no, it it is not outrageous. It is 100% the fault of the customer for not hiring someone to understand WTF they were buying.
Also the cost is 100% justifiable if you actually know what the service is. It is a legacy POTS OPX (Off Premises eXtension).
Not having seen the bill, but having many years with telecom, what this client of his has is two leased dry pairs. So they are paying, by distance, for their own private pair of wires from their office, to their other office, twice.
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VoIP.ms could work for this, but meh, I think you are stretching what it can do with ease.
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@brandon220 said in New PBX - Which one?:
RingCentral for $33/mo per device.
That sounds right. I would assume that AT&T is reselling the Premium plan or something similar.
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@brandon220 said in New PBX - Which one?:
This new instance would have approximately 2 phone numbers, 8 extensions (includes 2 door phones), and at least 3 physical locations. The phones will be Polycom as that is what they already have.
For 8 users, I would look at Ring Central's Essential plan.
Especially if the 2 door devices can be non-user extensions. Because then it is only 6.$20/u/month * 8 = $160/u/month *12 months = $1920/year all in since you already have the phones.
$20/u/month * 6 = $120/u/month *12 months = $1440/year all in since you already have the phones.
On a 1 year buy in, I could offer them a fully supported FreePBX install for $12.50/u/m + Service (metered billing on Skyetel) for the 6 real users. Monthly it is $15/u/m + Service. So $900 or $1080/year.
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@jaredbusch These are not dry pair. They are separate POTS lines. I verified that as well. They are originating in an Ericsson AXE switch. All 3 endpoints are within 1.5 miles of the ATT Central Office. They are all on the same BTN. I personally saw the monthly statement and the letter informing of the price increase.
It is 100% their fault and they realize it. It is one of those instances where the bill just kept going up each year and they kept paying it. They have had this service for decades.
I may ask them if they want me to have someone else manage it for them. It is one of the most important parts of their business.There are only 3 or 4 users, but there will be more than 3 phones including the front and rear doors. No video, just intercom.
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@brandon220 said in New PBX - Which one?:
These are not dry pair.
Yes they are, because:
@brandon220 said in New PBX - Which one?:They are originating in an Ericsson AXE switch.
Their PBX is providing the dialtone OUT to the OPX at the remote site over the dry pair.
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@jaredbusch said in New PBX - Which one?:
Actually, no, it it is not outrageous. It is 100% the fault of the customer for not hiring someone to understand WTF they were buying.
Jared is right. The customer had to really ignore absolutely all basic business knowledge, technology, common sense, and avoid talking to literally anyone about what is reasonable. THe vendor is acting like an ISP would... if you go to an ISP and ask for pricing, they know that you aren't even trying so they would obviously charge whatever you would pay. That the customer has been paying it, ever, let alone for years, means that the customer saw it as such a good deal that it wasn't worth changing even when absolutely any random kid on the street knows that that isn't a reasonable price range for phones.
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@brandon220 said in New PBX - Which one?:
It is 100% their fault and they realize it. It is one of those instances where the bill just kept going up each year and they kept paying it. They have had this service for decades.
That wasn't a good price in the 1990s. By 2000, it was beyond absurd. At best, it's been insane for twenty years.
