Asterisk NOW vs. sipXecs vs. SwitchVox vs. Trixbox Pro - Comparing User Benefits

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Comparing Asterisk NOW, SwitchVox and Trixbox Pro with sipXecs

It is indeed difficult to provide a fair and in-depth comparison between Asterisk NOW, SwitchVox, Trixbox Pro and sipXecs, but we think that sipXecs has surpassed Asterisk based solutions both in terms of ease of use, features, scale, resiliency and quality by quite a large margin. The comparison below is not looking at what you could do using a Linux command line. It compares user accessible features through a Web UI or TUI. The comparison is based on freely downloadable and usable versions of the respective solutions, where Switchvox and Trixbox include closed source components.

Asterisk was the first open source IP PBX that started to gain traction in 1999. sipXecs was introduced in 2004 as a second generation open source IP PBX with a clear path towards ease of use and unified communications (UC). Another key difference is that sipXecs is built as a true Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) solution. Asterisk is a hybrid solution where SIP is one of the possible transport protocols connected to a proprietary core.

What do we mean by "unlimited" trunks and simultaneous calls? This is not a configuration option but a fundamental architectural choice made right at the beginning when starting the project to build an IP PBX. sipXecs is a SIP proxy that by definition only handles signaling and no media. Asterisk is a Back-to-Back User Agent (B2BUA) based design that by definition anchors media. Therefore, sipXecs is a distributed system where media is routed peer-to-peer and Asterisk is a system where calls go through the server. "Unlimited" in this context therefore means that sipXecs can handle as many simultaneous calls as can be supported by the bandwidth of your LAN / WAN.

The comparison is based on freely downloadable and usable software, namely Asterisk NOW 1.0.1, SwitchVox 1.0 Free Version, Trixbox Pro (Standard) v1.0.3.23 and sipXecs 3.10. Asterisk NOW, Trixbox Pro and SwitchVox are all Asterisk based solutions. Only Asterisk NOW is open source. The other Asterisk management systems are proprietary and closed source. sipXecs is a new solution built from the ground up and not based on Asterisk.

Key Feature sipXecs Asterisk NOW SwitchVox Trixbox Pro
Core Capabilities License for the management system
LGPL
GPL
Closed source. Use requires activation
Closed source, Hosted.
Solution Model. Note: For Trixbox Fonality hosts the entire configuration management solution.
Runs on your server
Runs on your server
Runs on your server
Hosted. Runs on Fonality's server
Number of users
10 to 10.000
10 to 200
10 to 200
10 to 200
Number of trunk lines. Note: sipXecs uses external GWs.
unlimited
PCI slot limit
PCI slot limit
PCI slot limit
Number of analog (FXS) lines. Note: sipXecs uses external GWs.
unlimited
PCI slot limit
PCI slot limit
PCI slot limit
Number of simultaneous calls. Note: sipXecs does not route calls through the server. Asterisk based on dual core XEON / 2GB RAM.
unlimited
60
60
60
Automatic trunk fail-over when busy or unavailable
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Redundant call control
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Individual user Web portal for self-control
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Plug & play management for devices from many vendors
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Built-in Presence Server
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Does not include any "phone home" code, i.e does not collect data and reports it back to someone, and does not require registration to use
Image: Yes.png
?
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Available language packs (UI, dialplan and prompts) for US English, UK English, French, Canadian-French, Spanish, SA-Spanish, German, Dutch, Portuguese
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Device Configuration & Management Plug & play configuration of phones
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Plug & play configuration of PSTN gateways
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of host-based PCI GW cards (Digium, Sangoma)
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Automatic device discovery (phones & GWs)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Device firmware management
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Backup and restore of device configuration data
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Group inheritance of device configuration parameters
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Remote restart of phones
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of SIP trunks
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Administration of user phonebooks (create company and individual directories and auto-load them into the phones)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
User Management Wizard to create a new user with a working phone in just a few clicks and with all phone parameters auto-generated. Note: Asterisk based solutions require manual phone config.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Basic user administration (create an account)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Configurable per user permissions for call authorization
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Advanced user management (speed dial w/ BLF, assignment of phones, call forwarding, user groups). Note: Trixbox Standard (free) does not include call forwarding and does not include user groups.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
User alias functionality (user can have several numeric or alpha-numeric aliases)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Individual (per user) zero-out destination configuration from voicemail to anywhere
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Comprehensive search for users, phones, extensions, etc.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
User Self-Control Portal Per user Web portal for the personal administration of user specific features and preferences
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Individual management of unified messaging preferences
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Personal user Web portal for Voicemail retrieval and management
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Personal auto-attendant for calls that roll-over to voicemail
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Per user individual Speed Dial configuration
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Per user individual configuration of presence (BLF - Busy Lamp Field feature)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Per user individual call forwarding configuration. Note: Trixbox Standard (free) does not support forwarding.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Time-based find-me / follow-me
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Individual call blocking rule
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Corporate directory
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Corporate directory configured into the user's phone(s)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Individual call history
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Call Center supervisor agent monitoring
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Upload & manage user voice prompts using the Web UI
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Third party call control from a specific client. I.e. Trixbox HUD.
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Localization Uploadable language packs that include Web UI translation, voice prompts, dialplans, call progress tone settings
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of language for system (voice) prompts / multiple languages can be used
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Per user individual selection of language for personal voicemail
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Loadable localized (region specific) dialplan. Note: Trixbox Pro allows the definition of region specific call progress tones.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
User Interface language dependent on individual browser locale with many languages co-existing. Note: Trixbox allows the user to select UI language on the user portal.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Dial Plan Basic dial plan administration
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Advanced dial plan management with automatic failover to alternate route or gateway
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Time-based rules based on configurable schedules
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Management of SIP Routing (SIP URL dialing, outbound SBC selection, ENUM, ISN)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Manipulation of Caller ID per user and per route / GW
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
IVR based Diagnostics Mode
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Features Configuration of auto-attendant
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Configuration of music on hold
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Configuration of call park orbits
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Configuration of voicemail
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Configuration of page groups. Note: Trixbox supports 1 blast group with 10 members max. That limit probably applies to all Asterisk based solutions.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of Intercom w/ groups
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of meet-me Conferencing
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Call Center (ACD) solution Configure several distributed ACD servers
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of ACD queues and lines. Note: Trixbox Standard (free) does not include an ACD.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of overflow behavior and destinations
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Limit the total number of callers in the queue
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of call routing scheme
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of call answer mode (e.g. to save toll charges)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of queue audio (music on hold)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of audio announcements when queue is entered or left
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
ACD real-time reports
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
ACD historic reports
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Configuration of wrap-up time
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Automatic agent sign-out if calls are not picked up
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Announce position in queue and estimated hold time
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Reports & Diagnostics Historic CDR reports displayed inside the admin interface
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Active calls display
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Report on active SIP registrations
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Snapshot logs for system diagnostics. Note: Trixbox maintenance done in a hosting model.
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Login history for admins and users to the user portal, failed and successful
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
IT Integration Web Services SOAP interface for all configuration operations
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Import / Export users & devices from and to Excel (.csv files)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
LDAP integration, UI configurable
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Integration with Microsoft Active Directory
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Integration with Microsoft Exchange 2007
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Export of reports to Excel (.csv)
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
System Administration Setting of system time & timezone
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Auto-generated / managed SIP passwords for enhanced security
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Backup & Restore
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Automated network services tests for simplified installation
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Administration of a high-availability system
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Multiple admin accounts
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Server statistics graphs and SNMP
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Free of advertisment
Image: Yes.png
Image: Nope.png
Image: Yes.png
Image: Yes.png
Technical Details Data store
Database
Text files
Unknown. Closed source.
Hosted by Fonality
Technology
Java Web Application
Scripts
Unknown. Closed source.
Hosted by Fonality
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