To configure the station, we will use the wload85.exe program.

The configuration tags in this program look like this.

Table 3 PBX parameters

	Number of digits in the numbering plan
	Number of PCM paths
	Running diagnostics
	Diagnostic mask
	Diagnostic run interval
	Diagnostic start time
	Modem initialization
	Modem timeout
	Size of one SerRom KB
	Central station port number
	SORM signaling channel number
	Number of SORM decoupling paths
	Table output indexes RAP
	PBX/Hub
	PBX ID
	Music port number
	Using Ethernet

• - PBX name. The ASCII abbreviation of this vehicle in the operation and maintenance system (O&M) is entered in the parameter entry field;
• - Number of digits in the numbering plan. This parameter determines the number of digits
• - internal numbering plan. Up to 8 digits can be specified;
• - Autorun diagnostics. The parameter allows you to select the periodic mode
• - automatic start of diagnostics depending on its value:
  • · a) do not run diagnostics;
  • · b) run through the launch interval;
  • · c) run at a specified time of day.
• - Test results can be viewed from PBX status windows.
• - Depending on the selected value of this parameter, the parameters Start time
• - diagnostics, Diagnostics start interval and Diagnostic mask will be available for editing;
• - Diagnostic start interval DD:HH. In the entry field of this parameter, you set the time interval after which the automatic telephone exchange diagnostics should start. In this case, the parameter Autorun diagnostics should be set to "run at startup interval". Recording format: DD:HH, where DD is the number of days in the launch interval, possible values ​​from 00 to 31, HH - time in hours, possible values ​​from 00 to 23;
• - Diagnostic start time HH:MM. In the entry field of this parameter, you set the time of day at which you want to automatically launch the PBX diagnostics. In this case, the parameter Autorun diagnostics should have the value “run at the specified time of day”. Recording format: HH:MM, where HH is time in hours, possible values ​​from 00 to 23, MM is time in minutes, possible values ​​from 00 to 59;
• - Priority on synchronization ext. entrance. In the parameter entry field, the priority value is set for the external input on the TEZ BUKM connector (from 0 to 255), which is taken into account when determining the synchronization source of the DATS clock generator;
• - group of parameters Diagnostic mask defines the range of tests launched automatically.

Table 4 Location of boards

Table 5 Creating a numbering plan for the designed PBX

Table 6 Incoming directions

Table 7 Distribution of incoming directions

Purchasing equipment for a cloud PBX is a rather expensive decision. Depending on the configuration, the purchase can cost from several tens to several hundred thousand rubles. The most effective alternative may be to create a virtual PBX. But this process requires explanation, since not everyone will understand the principle of working with this service.

Development and connection of new services

Just ten to fifteen years ago, only very successful and very large companies could afford complex IT solutions. Development was expensive, and technical support required considerable effort. But thanks to the widespread use of the Internet and the emergence of a large number of telecommunications operators, even individual entrepreneurs representing micro-businesses can now connect to modern options.

The impetus for such rapid progress was the emergence of cloud technologies, which significantly reduced the cost for the end user of organizing their own IT infrastructure.

From the variety of existing services, one can single out a virtual PBX. This service is increasingly gaining popularity. Over the past two years alone, the demand for cloud PBX has doubled.

A virtual PBX, unlike its physical counterpart, is an Internet product with advanced functionality. Undoubtedly, those who want to save on the service and organize the infrastructure themselves can try to do this. In terms of gaining invaluable experience, such a step is very justified. But such a benefit is questionable, since the infrastructure must not only be created and connected, it must be properly maintained and maintained in working order. But this already requires certain skills, experience and specialists.

If you plan to further develop your business, then most likely, after some time, the existing capabilities of the structure you have created will begin to be insufficient. That is why the most profitable and practical solution may be to contact the operator directly. First, it already has all the necessary hardware and software. Secondly, its specialists have sufficient experience in organizing and servicing virtual products and solutions.

By paying for the service according to existing tariffs and connection costs, you will ensure stable and uninterrupted use of the acquired capabilities, and the operator will take care of all technical issues.

Analysts from J`son & Partners estimate that by the end of this year the number of cloud PBX users will grow to 37 million people. And this is far from the limit of the capabilities of virtual services. At the same time, from the total number of subscribers, a fairly active group can be identified that uses the full potential of the service - these are companies seeking to expand the geography of their influence and increase their customer base.

Against the backdrop of such rapid growth, the position of analog PBXs has noticeably weakened: already in 2015, 7% of users refused to use the capabilities of physical telephone exchanges. Considering the traditional nature of the offers and the length of their existence on the market, this “minus” is quite eloquent.

In addition to the obvious cost savings, the subscriber acquires other, no less profitable bonuses, for example:

1. the ability to set up a multi-channel number, allowing you to unite all company personnel into a single communication network;
2. reducing the percentage of ineffective connections by promptly redirecting incoming calls to free mobile or landline numbers of employees;
3. a wide range of individual settings that are available to the user in his “Personal Account” on the provider’s website;
4. free integration of the service used with others to achieve maximum efficiency;
5. high-quality recording of all incoming calls, their archiving and storage. This feature makes it possible to improve the level of customer service over the phone and improve the corporate culture as a whole;
6. a permanent telephone number that will not change even if the company changes its actual location;
7. prompt organization of extensive video conferences, significantly reducing the costs of holding such events both within the company and outside it.

Despite the fact that operators offer to connect ready-made solutions for a relatively small fee, there are still users who are not satisfied with the ready-made conditions. As a rule, these are those who want to personally gain customization and integration opportunities. To do this, you should choose a system with suitable functionality and a specialist who can competently implement the available capabilities.

In addition, you will need:

• individual connection to any telecom operator via SIP or via a VoIP gateway;
• basic knowledge of JavaScript;
• a clear manual from developers of useful scripts who have already gone through the entire process of creating and connecting their own cloud PBX.

Step-by-step instruction

1. Step one. We are deciding on the architecture and functionality of our future virtual autonomous telephone exchange. The scheme can be as simple as possible; at the initial stage, this option is much preferable to a sophisticated architecture.
2. Step two. Free account from the developers. This point can be thought through in advance by going through the websites of the main well-known companies in this field.
3. Step three. Activate your account and control panel. After your presence on the selected site is confirmed and access to the control panel is open, we go directly to it, since this will be our main place of work.
4. Step four. Creating users. Our users must have all the characteristics of real users and operators of the future PBX. In addition, at this stage you will need to think about the way in which connection services will be paid for. It is best to use digital codes of three numbers (for example, 101 or 102) to create a login.
5. Step five. We create PBX functionality. Since developer server applications are, as a rule, just a set of specific scripts, they are usually written in JavaScript. It is worth working on at least three separate scenarios - incoming, outgoing calls and connections within the network between users. After the work on the scripts is completed and the script is assembled, you need to create the corresponding application and edit it. All! Our PBX is ready to connect SIP phones.

As you can see, there is nothing difficult in creating a virtual PBX from scratch. Naturally, you need basic programming knowledge and a general understanding of the functioning of each of the scenarios being worked on, but once you understand everything yourself, you can improve your own assembly as much as you like. This opportunity will especially please users of free software, since they have enough skills to assemble, connect and configure systems for the specific needs of users.

Tags:

X-Lite is a softphone, i.e. a program that allows you to use IP telephony. Can be configured for Internet calls, including regular telephone calls, via "IntelNetCom". In addition to voice calls, video communication is possible.
X-Lite is available in versions for Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

Download X-Lite 3.0 for Windows
Download X-Lite 3.0 for Mac
Download X-Lite 3.0 for Linux
(www.xten.com)

X-Lite located .

Express Talk

Software that works like a telephone, allowing you to make calls from your computer. With Express Talk, you can call anyone over the Internet.

Calls are free. You will also be able to call regular phone numbers. Express Talk is simple and easy to use.

Download Express Talk for Windows
Instructions for setting up a softphone Express Talk located .

ZoIPer

This Internet phone works with the following operating systems: Windows2000,WinXP,Windows Vista Starter,Windows Vista Home Basic,Windows Vista Home Premium,Windows Vista Business,Windows Vista Enterprise,Windows Vista Ultimate,Linux,Linux Gnome,Mac OS X,Mac OS X 10.4,Mac OS X 10.5. A distinctive feature of this soft background is Russian version.

Programs for PBX administration.

↓ New in the category "PBX Programs":

Free
Auto dial 4.10.01 is a constructor for voice dialogue with a subscriber of any telephone network and has rich functionality. The Auto-Dial program allows you not only to send voice messages or intelligently answer incoming calls, but also to create a full-fledged dialogue with callers who can control the program using touch-tone dialing.

Free
WinTariff 2.07.1 is a program for tariffication and accounting of calls from PBX Samsung, Panasonic, NEC, Lucent, Siemens, Ericsson or Karel. The WinTariff program makes it possible to record telephone calls and subsequently process them.

Free
UserTrafManager 5.2.1 is an automated settlement system for providing comprehensive services to subscribers of communication companies. The NetUP UserTrafManager program will help you carry out all the main steps in relationships with clients: providing technical support, concluding contracts and calculating the services provided to clients.

Free
Phone Billing 2.0 is a convenient logger for telephone connections. The Phone Billing program has the ability to read registration records that are transferred from the Com port from the telephone exchange to the computer Com port, as well as write them to files and process the records in an external program.

In this article we will talk about software IP PBX(especially about the Asterisk family) - the foundation of modern corporate VoIP telephony. We will look at their main capabilities, configuration tricks, but most importantly, we will objectively analyze the pros and cons of these solutions. Let’s also try to estimate how much it will actually cost companies to implement a “free” (in quotes) software IP PBX.

Office PBX has been and remains one of the most important tools for communication between employees of business organizations and “average” citizens (potential consumers of goods and services), partner companies, suppliers of materials and components, distributors and representatives of government agencies. The basis of its functionality is initially the solution of problems of connecting the telephone sets of the calling and called subscribers, maintaining a communication session and disconnecting the connection upon completion of the conversation. To these “three pillars” of voice line switching, more and more new functions and services were gradually added, and currently their number reaches two to three dozen (depending on the PBX model).

Modern mini-PBXs are good for everyone, but for companies just starting their business, the cost of creating an internal telephone network on their basis sometimes seems “unaffordable.” And in search of a cheaper (but equivalent in functionality) technical solution, startups go to the segment of computer, that is, VoIP telephony, which provides the ability to transmit voice and digital information in one channel (and the company already has a local computer network “by default”).

In this segment, the lion's share of the market belongs to corporate telephone exchanges, the operation of which is based on the IP protocol (Internet Protocol), designed to organize the exchange of data in digital form (including speech) using packet switching (remember that traditional telephony uses channel switching). Such stations form an IP-PBX class, with two groups included in it: 1) hardware IP PBXs and 2) software IP PBXs, most of which are Linux distributions or executable files for Windows OS. We will talk in more detail about the second group today.

In a software IP PBX, all functions of analog, digital and hybrid telephone exchanges performed by switches, routers and other equipment are emulated by special software that is installed on any server or desktop running in the company

In the second group of the IP-PBX class, today there are about 20 varieties of so-called “free software” with open source code, which, by definition, gives consumers the right to supplement it with new functions that are needed. At the same time, almost half of the area of ​​free software for software PBXs refers to free products. And among them, the undisputed leader is the IP-PBX Asterisk, which is far ahead of its competitors, who share approximately 15% of the open-source IP-PBX market, which it left to outsiders. And most “starting up” small business companies focus on its use.

Advantages of software IP PBXs

What is the reason for such a high degree of popularity of IP-PBXs like Asterisk (Asterisk in English means an asterisk)?

Firstly, it has in its arsenal a full set of basic and additional functions of a mini PBX.

Secondly, it works with Skype.

Thirdly, it provides video communication.

Fourthly, its capabilities can be expanded, for example, in terms of parallel servicing of tens and even hundreds of telephone conversations, if computer boards are connected to the server with Asterisk software installed, providing communication with high-bandwidth lines such as T1/E1.

Competing free programs, intended mainly for IP-PBXs for specific applications, do not have such a set of characteristics (although in their areas they may surpass Asterisk in certain indicators).

Asterisk administration can be carried out using several graphical management tools, but the choice of most users, as a rule, is the FreePBX web interface, with the help of which subscriber numbers and functions can be added or replaced without much difficulty.

Both softphones (softphones) and all types of hardware user IP phones (with IP, USB, Wi-Fi interfaces) can be connected to the Asterisk software IP PBX.

The range of Asterisk functionality and services is constantly being replenished by many “free developers”, but such a “plus”, apparently, can only be appreciated by experienced users, while the majority of consumers are experiencing more and more difficulties with mastering new versions and ensuring their stability work. And this, as many years of experience in operating Asterisk shows, is not the most “terrible” of the shortcomings of this software (as, indeed, of other software PBXs).

Disadvantages of software IP PBXs

So, Asterisk software or any other similar IP PBX software can be downloaded for free on the Internet. Unfortunately, this is where the “free” ends.

The first cost item is installing Aterisk on the server. Since this is a complex software that uses the Linux operating system as a platform, a specialist who is well versed in it is required. That is, to install Asterisk you will have to hire an integrator company.

Advice from practice - the biggest mistake a company manager can make is to involve a full-time system administrator in the installation and, most importantly, in configuring Asterisk. The apparent simplicity of commissioning this IP PBX has already led to very large unplanned expenses in many companies, including eliminating the consequences of hacking (more on this below).

The second cost item is administration and maintenance. Performing these functions requires a Linux professional with knowledge of Asterisk and IP telephony technology and equipment. Such an “expensive employee” will have to be accepted into the company’s staff or “grow” into its ranks by spending money on his training and then paying him a high salary.

Advice from practice - the system administrator, who is usually involved in the administration of the PBX in companies, can, at best, cope with the basic setup of the system. Complex routing algorithms or advanced settings will require dozens of hours of digging through documentation and spending time on thematic forums. Moreover, frequent system updates (which are necessary) in the first year or two will lead to one or two days of complete loss of communication in the office. And all this will continue until your system administrator learns everything.

Thus, the cost of ownership and operational support of a free software PBX over time may exceed the cost of purchasing a hardware IP-PBX with an outsourced support service.

The main danger facing companies using Asterisk is the fairly easily realized possibility of external intrusion into the PBX. The most common reason for Asterisk hacks is the inability to correctly make the basic security settings of a software IP PBX. The second security weakness is due to the fact that, as noted above, “free programmers” often introduce new functional modules into Asterisk (which, in fact, users themselves can do), which introduce new vulnerabilities into the base software. Finding these gaps is not difficult for experienced hackers, and as a result of a successful attack, a wave of transit calls is sent through Asterisk, for which you will have to pay a tidy sum.