3cx-software-pbx-windows

The VAR Guy concedes: Sometimes he gets consumed by unified communications pitches from Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Avaya and the Asterisk industry. But a flood of email — from 3CX and some of its resellers — reminded our resident blogger that the IP PBX market remains highly fragmented and full of emerging options.

Quite a few VARs and customers are opting for Windows-centric IP PBXes from 3CX. Prime examples include a few Remax real estate brokerages, which claim to have saved $80,000 by deploying 3CX’s software-based PBX, notes 3CX CEO Nick Galea.

Also of note: 3CX is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner and a pure channel company, promoting its software PBXes through a range of resellers and solutions providers worldwide.

True believers include Pacific Softcom, a solutions provider that has been wroking with 3CX since March 2009. The effort started out with a free download and suddenly Pacific Softcom found itself with a true IP PBX solution for customers, notes Jim Green, a sales and technical director at Pacific Softcom in Long Beach, Calif.

“Version 6 had a few drawbacks, but version 7 was stable and version 8 is solid,” says Green. “You called my office and as you can tell you’ve been forward to my mobile phone and the quality is very, very good. People who got in early with 3CX are delitefully surprised with new features that are coming out.”

The only catch, notes Green: 3CX works only as  well as a company’s Internet connection. He recommends steering clear of DSL and sticking with a cable modem or better for good performance.

So there you have it: Equal time for a smaller player in the IP PBX market. Keep the story tips coming in. The VAR Guy is listening.

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