Using Vonage with PBX Software

Posts: 12 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Oct 14, 2007 Posts: 12

I have been testing virtual PBX systems and also have a Vonage business line pending moving my office back home.

I like Vonage the best. I will lose my investment in these 2 Linksys SPA942 telephones but I find Vonage is more flexible.

Curious, will Vonage work with any of the PBX software that is now available such as Asterisk or 3CX for windows.

Thanks for any comments.

Posts: 18 · Vonage Forum Associate Joined: Nov 30, 2003 Posts: 18

Ok, there is two ways of using Vonage with a PBX.

1 - install a FXO card (or cards) in your Asterisk PBX and then plug your ATA into the FXO. Kind of defeats the purpose though of keeping the signal digital for as long as possible. However, it will work.

2 - Use a Vonage Softphone account. I currently use one as a test trunk for my testbed Trixbox / Asterisk system. Be aware though, this is not really condoned, and I assume if you started hitting it hard Vonage might pull the service. It does work out as an inexpensive trunk though for testing. Note - I called Vonage and asked if I could move one of my two ATA numbers over to a softphone account.... they indicated they could.

Before anyone screams TOS, this is primarily used with my laptop and softphone, the Trixbox trunk is only for testing, and I accept it has an unsupported configuration.

You do have one other option, but it's not terribly cheap. Vonage does offer business SIP trunks (see http://vonage-business-plus.com/), but $149/ mo for four DID and 5000 minutes really negates the advantages of going to Voip. For that type of money I could go to a number of Voip carriers and get a lot more.

As for hosted PBX, I'm a control freak, so don't think I'd like to be dependent on someone else to maintain my PBX, and it's not available if the internet goes down (when you think of it, Vonage's basic service is a form of hosted PBX). For my business customers I always install a Trixbox with at least one POTS line so if the internet goes down they have basic inbound and outbound service, and insures that E911 is available no matter what (I also will install a 'by-pass' phone so that even if the power goes out and the switch dies basic phone is always available). The funny thing is that that single line usually cost 2 -3 times what a SIP carrier charges me for the each other trunk

Posts: 7 · New Forum Member Joined: Apr 11, 2008 Posts: 7

Boeingpilot,

I'm not a telepony guy, but I'm technical enough to make this work.

I have the following questions.

When you way Asterisk PBX, is that software I run on a normal windows or linux box or a hardware appliance, I found both? I saw the Digium Asterisk Appliance 50 s800i for around $1,200, that's more than I wanted to pay. I also found what an FXO card is at it appears to be around the $150 mark?

Using a softphone account? Does that mean I have to switch my Vonage account from business to soft phone and then plug in my router to the FXO card and my analog phone to the FXO card to make the whole thing work?

Then my most important question is will this give me the capability of having an auto attendant and hold music?

thanks