Saving money on business communications means more these days than cutting down on personal calls. Telecommunications in all its forms can be a huge expense for some companies, especially those whose operations include a call center, or those who have a PBX system needing updates. Under development since 1999, Asterisk phone systems can provide a wide range of economical applications and services. The free open-source software which forms the backbone of this system can turn an ordinary computer into a communications server.

The Asterisk system is able to perform internal functions others can not. Often referred to as a “developmental platform, ” Asterisk software can be used to operate large media servers as well as a typical small business PBX system. Besides being free, open source technology is versatile and can be customized. It has successfully challenged and competed with other closed platforms.

Asterisk also can be incorporated into other platforms, including Solaris, Mac OS X, OpenBSD, FreeBSD and NetBSD. It can even be used with Microsoft through a port called Asterisk Win32. Computers running the software can function as conference servers, or VoIP gateways or PBXs. For PBX use, Asterisk incorporates many familiar functions, including voice mail, call distribution, conference calling and phone menu voice response.

Originally written by Mark Spencer of Digium, Inc., the operating code has employed contributions from open-source engineers residing in many countries. Asterisk is not a manufacturer of telephony equipment, but rather a provider of the software building blocks that make such equipment work properly for 21st century business. Because of its structure it can be updated or changed whenever necessary, without waiting for other companies to come out with official fixes.

Many call centers around the world have adopted the Asterisk system primarily because it is flexible and adaptable to existing features such as bulk dialing, remote IP agent capabilities, and advanced routing. It requires no additional hardware for use with voice over IP. It does require hardware devices and cards for certain kinds of interfaces, including standard telephony cards, and this support comes from the parent company, Digium, Inc.

Telephony and PBX are enhanced by PTSN and VoIP drivers for those interface cards, which enable handling and routing both inbound and outbound calls. The system allows management control of functions such as record and play, billing call details, and tone generation. It can handle multiple or single party bridging with monitor functions, and can convert from one media format or protocol to another.

Those wishing to set up PBX software can make use of a provided program called AsteriskNOW. When downloaded, this program allows system administrators to create solutions based on their own company needs. An easy to read administrative GUI, or user interface, makes the complexity of Linux and Asterisk easy to interpret. AsteriskNOW helps incorporate services such as VoIP or Skype Gateway, a call center ACD, a Conference Bridge, IP PBX, and others.

Many businesses around the world have made the decision to make use of the open-source technology that asterisk phone systems Toronto can provide. Whether you operate a call center, need a solution to your PBX problems or simply want to make use more efficient software, Asterisk open-source systems successfully integrates traditional PBX or voice systems with advanced VoIP setups for communications solutions both cost-effective and easily updated.

Core Telecom Innovations Inc. provides telecommunications solutions including asterisk phone systems Vancouver, PBX Business Center and VoIP Consulting.