FYI New Asterisk-based PBX for non-technical users

Jacob Reider

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I built MeePBX - (get it?) ... because .. despite my ~ 20+ years working with Asterisk - I'm impressed that most of the software that's been built on top of it requires users to speak native PBX - a language that the office manager @ Dunder Mifflin (or any small office) doesn't understand.

(for reference - longer term - I plan to extend this to medical offices - as I am a family doctor and I got my start here a long time ago. See my post from 2005 right here in voip-info from 2005!)

So ...

21 years laster - I made an Asterisk 20 PBX for small offices that have no IT person. I've been frustrated - as I help others implement phone systems - that there is nothing on the market that:

- Charges one fee - not per-extension. No evil lock-in or predatory pricing
- Is easy to set up for someone who is non-technical
- Flexible and allows users to bring their own telepony provider (this is software we're offering - not telecommunications services)

Each customer gets their own hosted server (one VPS per customer - spun up for you automatically so no dealing with the VPS host, Linux, or any complexity)

You bring your own SIP trunk (the UX walks users through this - so it's pretty easy).

The admin screens are meant for an office manager: people, numbers, greeting, hours, voicemail. No "trunk, ring group, extension, choose your codecs, etc."

MeePBX is closed source for now, built on stock Asterisk 20 (GPLv2).

The interface, zero-touch setup and hosting code are closed and (for now) available hosted.

What I know works ..

- Skyetel (IP auth) set up through the guided flow. Inbound and outbound PSTN with audio both ways on a test box.

- Grandstream HT801 zero-touch provisioning.

- Mobile softphone on Android

What might work - not fully tested ..

- Telnyx, other providers ..

- Desk phones (Yealink, Polycom, Grandstream GRP) (zero touch config - not yet - Grandstream phones coming next .. )

- Mobile softphone on iPhone

- Browser phone: it has worked on my own calls - but there may be issues with some browsers.

- 911: I only used 933 for tests - but it's working

- Capacity: no measured call-capacity test at any server 4 calls going out at once for the system, and 2 calls per phone. Incoming call capacity is not measured, so I promise no volume.

- No one who is not me has yet used the setup unaided. Th
- Asterisk is 20.6 from Ubuntu's archive. A move to 22 LTS is planned before general availability, not before the beta.
- Not for health care records or patient information.

If you (or someone you know) is ..

A small single-site office that will use Skyetel, would connect an ordinary phone, has reliable internet, and will tell me honestly where setup confused them.
... I'll give you a weeks free on the platform .. maybe more if you are super helpful.

After 2 weeks .. I'm thinking ...

$15 a month per phone system for Business.

Home is ~ $8/month ..

One subscription per system, not per person. 7 days free for everyone. Folks who report bugs and offer feedback - I'll extend free trial days or weeks .. but remember that everyone using this is on a separate VPS that I'm paying for ... so there are limits to how long I can support free users.

No card needed. Your phone company, equipment ..

Support is one person (me), by email at [email protected]

Tell me what is wrong with this.

Specifically:

- Is "bring your own trunk, one server per customer" the right call?
- Should I add "bring your own server
- What do you think is good (or bad) about what I'm planning?

To join the waitlist: https://meepbx.com ... I'll let ~ 10 or 15 people in this weekend. I'm not posting this elsewhere (only here at VOIP-info) so please don't share (yet) .. as I really want to work things through and squash any leftover bugs ..


Jacob
 
I plan to extend this to medical offices
other than medical offices need phones ... what is the plan here ?


1791662898433.png

cool device.


What is the benefit of your PBX vs IncrediblePBX ?

seems like you charge for something that is free (Incredible PBX).
 
A) incrediblePBX doesn't include hosting of the PBX. This does.

B) incrediblePBX requires interacting with Linux .. even if that's just following Ward's (very good) instructions

C) IncrediblePBX leverages Freepbx's complex UX. This replaced the UX with a clean, simple experience.

D) FWIW .. I love incrediblePBX .. but it's too complex for many users to implement on their own.

What's the plan?

Make this available to folks who aren't nerds.

The goal here isn't to make money .. just cover the cost. My margin here is tiny ... as it should be ... Because the goal is to help people.
 
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