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PBXtra takes the crown with a low-cost combination of usability, unlimited extensions, good Outlook integration, and slick reporting
Fonality takes a different approach with PBXtra, which, like cousin Trixbox and Critical Links' EdgeBox, incorporates the open source Asterisk. PBXtra is not only the most affordable system in this roundup, but is unique in being a managed product. Customers get a low-end Celeron tower PC that's set up without incurring any installation costs, and a Web interface that lets users customize the system (such as recording voice prompts) without IT help. Fonality remotely monitors the system, provisions the phones, and backs up data off-site.
The PBXtra Professional configuration that I tested hooked up much like other solutions. One big difference (to ensure a good experience) is that Fonality insists on a phone session with an engineer who walks you through the process. With my virtual sidekick along for moral support, I connected the Dell hardware to my network, attached PSTN lines, assigned the server an IP address, and plugged in the supplied Aastra 9112 VoIP phones to my network hub.
The only problem I had was a slight echo on calls over my analog line. This turned out to be a golden opportunity for Fonality to flaunt its remote administration, because my assigned engineer was able to quickly eliminate the...