FreePBX is a full featured open source option for enterprise if you have the expertise or willing to learn.
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
We looked at FreePBX to replace our aging Cisco Voice Gateway. We installed it on VMware originally and eventually migrated it to Hyper-V without much issue. We were able to partner it with IBM's Watson for voice mail transcripts and create options for softphones on mobile and desktop. We also integrated it with our speaker system to create timed and emergency announcements throughout the campus.
Pros
- Standard telephony.
- VM to email.
- Firewall
- Expandable extensions.
Cons
- Phone integration/firmware can be clunky and has a learning curve.
- Relies on crowd sourcing information as expected for open-source.
- Requires some moderate expertise for setup.
Most Important Features
- Basic telephony.
- Open Source.
- VM to email.
- Directory and menu options.
Return on Investment
- Drastically reduced our direct telephony cost as we don't need to have the hardware and support.
- Very functional and added new functionality that we did not have previously.
Alternatives Considered
Cisco Unified Communications Manager (Call Manager)
Other Software Used
IBM Watson Text to Speech