I am new to FreePBX but have heard of great success with it and want to give it a try.
We currently have an analog Avaya PBX in place. I am looking to replace all the phones with Mitel IP phones and a FreePBX server with some SIP Trunks. I am unsure what phones are compatible or not and a Google search showed some results of people having trouble getting Mitel phones to connect to the server.
I am currently look at getting one Mitel 5330 for testing/trial purposes and in the future, if all goes well, Mitel 5324, 5224, 5312, and 5212 phones (or possible just all Mitel 5224s) Has anyone ever tried these phones? Do all of them work well with the system? (I am pretty sure the 5224 works)
Is there anything else that a first-timer should know in setting up a FreePBX system? (for example, is there a limit on the number of phones, etc)
There is no limit on any capacity items beyond your server and data infrastructure.
Head on over to the wiki and check out the getting started guides.
The Mitel’s do work but they are not a popular nor heavily supported phone. As a new used I would stick with a popular phone that many users run such as Aastra, Yealink, Polycom, Cisco SPA series, Digium etc.
I did not know that Mitel’s were not popular. I see Mitel phones alot around where I live. If they are compatible however, I would like to use them. I’ve always liked the build quality and design of these phones.
Thanks for telling me about the wiki, SkykingOH.
Now there is one feature that is very important to me that I am not sure FreePBX has. Will we be able to connect phones over the internet from other locations to the server? (I think I read somewhere that it’s possible) It would be nice to be able to dial extensions that are at another location. No more clogging up phone lines?
Also, I am new to SIP Trunks. If we were to get an Trunk that had 5 ports (5 different phone numbers), would we be able to setup a “rollover”- if one line is busy, automatically send the call to line 2, 3 and so on? I am not sure if it needs to be setup on the server end or the service provider end (like POTS).
You will be able to have extensions at remote locations. There are several ways to accomplish this.
SIP works a little differently than the traditional POTS lines you may be accustom to. There really is not a concept of a line, think of it as a call path
In your example you have the ability to have 5 calls at a time in any combination of inbound and outbound. If someone calls your main number the call will go to where ever you have it routed to. If another call comes into your main number it will also go through.
Honestly, for what they are and the difficulties I had reverse engineering them against a Mitel IP 3300, it’s just not worth it, there are many SIP phones out there cheaper and better, I like the Aastras
I took a look at the prices of the brands of phones that were popular among FreePBX and they tended to be more expensive than Mitel phones. I have already heard that all the buttons on a Mitel 5224 work. I’ll try one out soon.
Also, has anyone here tried to connecting an analog fax machine to the FreePBX and setting up a “Fax Extension”? (So that all calls to a specific number get routed to that machine)
I have one more question: does FreePBX support call recording? I did not see call recording under the module documentation list here: http://www.freepbx.org/support/documentation/module-documentation . And I mean the type of recording that happens 24/7, not only when toggled by a user.
Call recording can be set on route or extension level.
If heavy call recording is important take a look at the commercial call recording module. It adds terrific reporting and a number of other recording features.
