Providing real-time connectivity on PSTN and VoIP networks
Asterisk is a complete VoIP software switch that runs on Linux, BSD and OS X – providing all the features you would expect from a software switch and more. Asterisk:
- Delivers VoIP in four protocols, and can interoperate with almost all standards-based telephony equipment using relatively inexpensive hardware
- Provides Voicemail services with Directory, Call Conferencing, Interactive Voice Response, and Call Queuing
- Has support for three-way calling, caller ID services, ADSI, SIP, H.323 (as both client and gateway), MGCP (call manger only) and SCCP/Skinny (limited).
- Needs no additional hardware for Voice-over-IP
- Supports a number of hardware devices for interconnection with digital and analogue telephony equipment
Asterisk for Businesses
The days of expensive proprietary telecom software are over. Asterisk solves a wide range of challenges, from common PBX and key system replacements to highly-specialised applications at a fraction of the price of traditional systems.
Extreme Cost Reduction
Combined with low-cost telephony hardware, Asterisk Business Edition can be used to create a PBX at a fraction of the price of traditional PBX and key systems, while providing a level of functionality exceeding that of many of the most expensive systems available.
Control
Asterisk Business Edition allows the user to take control of their phone system. Once a call is in a Linux® box with Asterisk, anything can be done to it. In the same way that Apache gives the user fine-grained control over virtually every aspect of its operation (and its Open Source nature gives even more flexibility), the same applies to Asterisk.
Rapid Deployment and Development
Asterisk allows PBX's and IVR applications to be rapidly created and deployed. Its powerful CLI and text configuration files allow both rapid configuration and real-time diagnostics.
Rich, Broad Feature Base
Because Asterisk is Open Source and is implemented in software, not only does it provide features such as voicemail, voice menus, IVR, and conferencing which are very expensive for proprietary systems, but it also allows new features to be added rapidly and with minimal effort.
Customization
Through its internationalization support, configuration files, and source code, every aspect of Asterisk can be tweaked. For example, Asterisk's codes for call features could be changed to match an existing system.
Dynamic Content Deployment
In the same way that web servers like Apache allow a user to deploy dynamic content, such as account information, movie show times, etc, on the web, Asterisk permits you to deploy such dynamic content over the telephone, with the same ease as CGI.
Extremely Flexible Dialplan
Asterisk's unusually flexible dialplan allows seamless integration of IVR and PBX functionality. Many of Asterisk's existing features (and desired features of the future) can be implemented using nothing more than extension logic. Asterisk supports a mix of extension lengths.
