How feasible is FreePBX for enterprise?

We currently run Cisco’s call manager across 3 buildings and roughly 300 phones. I hate Cisco because it is so convoluted and expensive. Mitel was so much better. Besides the point…

I have used FreePBX in the past in a semi-enterprise setting and it worked fine. The part that I am having issues with is, FreePBX would be new to our techs and myself and it seems like support is not overly available, especially in the rural area that this would be deployed in. I think trying to figure out e911, trunk lines, general configuration would be a nightmare without someone initially on-site.

I had a Digium/Switchvox rep come out and size a system for us and the initial and ongoing cost was similar to Cisco. Expensive. The reason I am looking at something else is that our Cisco system is dated.

You need to define “Enterprise” because by that standard, no it is not. What do you need it to do? What functions/features do you have now that need to be kept when moving systems?

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extremely feasible - the value proposition is strong

its just another server and in an enterprise setting should always have a redundant partner - i wouldnt be over concerned about a rural area

that said ive always used the hotspare setup defining IP failover on the devices and insulating incoming with redundant routing at the ITSP level

furthermore if you need to insulate the fqdn such that during a faiulure it points to the active node , route 53 with health checkers works well

aside from the PBX redundancy id have network redundancy for the sites or a plan to deal with it should it fail … ie defining unreachable destinations with mobiles or whatever best suits your needs

interesting topic :slight_smile: if you have more questions let me know

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  • Automated attendant
  • 911 location (a 911 call came from room xyz)
  • The standard items, call forwarding, DND, hold, etc.
  • Voicemail to email
  • Call restrictions, no international calls, no external calls, etc.
  • Easy to manage
  • Incoming calls go directly to VM depending on time of day
    Reliable FAXING

Honestly, we really don’t have much in the way of requirements. I think many features of our Cisco system go unused. People just want to pick up the phone, call another staff member or an external number and that’s it. From what I remember, FreePBX can do a lot of what we need. It’s just the initial configuration and setup that is what I am stuck on.

I deployed FreePBX/Asterisk across my site locations over the past year’s time. A total of 5 site locations in two different geographical regions. We have a total of around 200 extensions with 100 physical phones and around 20 FXS lines. So far so good. The only feature you listed which we don’t use is 911 location down to a room number. We just have e911 setup for each site’s physical address. Although from viewing the call logs the actual extension that initiated a 911 call would be doable.

My initial setup and config work consisted of setting up a small test environment, researching how to best provision the system by reading lots of different online documents and forum threads, and then slowly adding more load onto the system. After that it was pretty easy to import in CSV files for the various elements I needed to define in the system. Two years after converting my first site I would say everyone is pleased with the outcome!

You need to check the new laws and deal with that if required. It will be illegal for you to install a new PBX that doesn’t comply and you have until Jan 6th 2021 to make your existing PBX systems comply.

I think I have heard about this topic. Is there any online legal resource you can point me to that speaks to the requirement specifics? This system was first installed back in early 2018. Thanks so much!

DISREGARD Google is my friend :slight_smile: I have all the info I need.

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I would suggest that if you still have questions after reading to get a legal consult. As the admin you are responsible and can get the fines/fees/judgement against you versus the people you admin the PBX for.

Appreciate all of the info. Based on this blurb in the FCC document

_40. Transitional Issues. Kari’s Law applies only with respect to MLTS that are manufactured,
imported, offered for first sale or lease, first sold or leased, or installed after February 16, 2020.
Accordingly, MLTS manufactured, imported, offered for first sale or lease, first sold or leased, or
installed on or before that date are grandfathered from compliance with the statute. _

it sounds as if I’d be grandfathered in. Although I will get with our legal folks ASAP to stay on top of things!

No, there is no grandfathering. Ray Baum’s Act covered that, it says that all MLTS systems must do this regardless of technology. This is why I said you have until Jan 6th 2021 for your existing PBX systems.

The was started because a hotel had prefixes and a kid couldn’t dial 9-1-1 to save her mother from being killed. Grandfathering this means hotels like that wouldn’t have to comply and that would be pointless as a majority of the market would never be in compliance or be required to.

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Howdy! And welcome back, it is only getting better! Full Enterprise feasible, yes!

There are many options coming on to the market…

I’ve recently released under CC0 the Already Be Conferencing option, a dial plan solution configured originally for easier conference calling in Asterisk, but adapted into something more that tries to help with these two specific issues, in particular (rural area and e911). With proper configuration, ABC can fulfill some of the new dispatchable location requirements per Ray Baum’s Act that go in to effect starting next year on all PBX systems, as well as the call placement notification requirements per Kari’s Law that are going in to effect this month on only new systems.

…REMOVED SECTION

Please see more discussion on early ABC in this thread - much improvement in latest/current version 16e - and more updates pending release soon… I will post about it there separately…

Fun times we live in! The good news is that you found this FreePBX forum. And I hope you see the community here is quite vibrant, with significant depth of knowledge across many sub-topics within FreePBX, Asterisk, and VoiP more generally. I recommend the advanced search feature magnifying glass in the upper-right corner, beats gurgle every time, showing good results with content contributed from the C-Level on up :cowboy_hat_face:

IANAL but if OP is in USA, I generally agree, and OP and others are right to be concerned.

Although, I think the case law to back up what Congress and the FCC just mandarin’ed is still TBD. Assuming no change in rule or law; or successful legal challenges against section 506 of Ray Baum’s Act on 4th Amendment right-to-be-left-alone privacy arguments, or lack of federal government jurisdiction over on-prem/edge computing MLTS/PBXes that only minimally serve “dial tone” to users within a single State of the Union and are never originating calls from users in other States, etc.; otherwise without changes, I believe it will not be illegal until January 6th, 2021, to install - or even operate - a PBX that does not automatically transmit dispatchable location information with your emergency calls. But again, I AM NOT A LAWYER.

@penguinpbx

I’ve hidden your above post as being off topic. I would ask that you edit and refer by linking to the existing thread when promoting your emerg call solution rather than starting new conversations. Users can then see the full conversation including comments/concerns from others.

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Done, but link to other thread was in my pre-edit version, thank you for the suggestions, hope you are well!

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