Asterisk: The PBX for the Rest of Us

For the last few months, I've been getting to know the Asterisk PBX software and Digium hardware. The idea was to develop and build a reproducible, custom phone solution for clients that need more than a traditional small business phone system and less than a full-blown PBX.

Asterisk allows you to build a complete solution that includes all of the features of a closed system, costing 10's of thousands of dollars, for the cost of some COTS hardware, a few specialized PCI cards, and a little script customization.

I'll follow up later with my reproducible, jumpstart solution as I iron out a few more details and turn up my first production system. Until then, here's a list of what the jumpstart configuration includes.

Software Platform

• OS: Fedora FC3 (minimal install)
• Asterisk: CVS-HEAD snapshot

Hardware Platform

• VIA MII12000 ITX motherboard 1.2ghz
• 512mb memory
• 120gb disk
• Casetronics Travla C137 12.7" x 2.7" x 10" black aluminum case (supports 2 PCI cards)
• 2 TDM04B Digium PCI Cards (TDM card with 4 FXO each)

Phone Instruments

• Polycom 500 IP (SIP) phones
• SOYO G688 (SIP) phones
• Various Softphones & USB hardware

Features

• Unlimited Voicemail (with email notification of new mail)
• Standard PBX functions: hold, forward, park, pickup, etc.
• Music on hold (via MP3s)
• Interactive Menu system
• Interface to internal database
• Supports over 40 extensions
• Supports Direct Dial (extensions can have their own 10 digit phone number)
• Caller ID
• Use existing data network/Cat5 wiring
• Support for VLAN
• Remote extensions (anywhere there is broadband)
• Followme: incoming calls can ring a station, try a remote station, call cell phone, then go to voicemail
• Meetme: conference rooms for "unlimited" users
• Dial-by-name Directory is automatically updated with new users
• Least-cost-routing using landline or VOIP providers
• Easily configured using text configuration and script files
• Built-in remote support capability
• Expandable landline support (4 FXO's per TDM card or 23 lines per PRI/T1 card)

Special Features & Functions

• Automatic system backup of configuration and/or voicemail
• Runs headless (no monitor, keyboard, mouse required)
• Single box (12x2x10) for voicemail, PBX, interfaces, etc supports up to 46 CO lines and unlimited extensions (up to capacity of processor)

Tested and Supported Service Providers

• Landline Local Service: TDS (XDATA, Channel Bank), SBC (POTS, T1, PRI)
• Landline Long Distance: To-be-determined
• VOIP: To-be-determined

Summary
The system with support for 8 CO lines, 20 extensions, and virtually unlimited voicemail prices out at about $1300 for the switch/pbx and $3600 for phones (total of $4900):

• PC: $600
• Phone interface cards: $337 x 2 = $674
• Phones: $180 x 20 = $3600
• OS: $0
• Asterisk: $0

For a typical 4 line/8 extension office configuration, the cost would be about $2400.

Configuration costs for typical configurations will run an additional $400 to $1200 depending on how complicated the setup needs to be.