I am frequently asked, if i get an Asterisk PBX how can i get support for it? It is not as hard as one may think to get Asterisk support for a VoIP PBX.

Most people think that when they take the open source route with software that they are going to be left high and dry and this may cause some people to overlook Linux Asterisk as a viable choice for a VoIP PBX option.Nothing could be further from the truth.

If anyone can name a proprietary VoIP PBX solution that has whole sections of forums dedicated to giving support for their VoIP PBX system then i am all ears. I will be waiting a while i think. Asterisk is the golden child of the open source community, it has brought the VoIP PBX to many users and is one of the most popular Linux products ever developed. There is no more stable VoIP PBX software available. And the price is right....it's free!

It is true that there are not as many Linux savvy people out there as other operating systems, but this should not disuede anyone from venturing into the world of the Asterisk VoIP PBX as there are many places where people will help not only with setting up your Asterisk distro but with the maintenance of your VoIP PBX in the long term. This is not a substitute for onsite support i am well aware, and in Australia on site Asterisk support goes for around $150 per hour. Not much more than complex windows support.

An Asterisk VoIP PBX can make an enormouse difference to a small business it really can. The features that are included will as almost a rule, cost tens of thousands of dollars in any proprietary VoIP PBX system which is just plain out of reach to the small business

An Asterisk VoIP PBX can be run on almost any machine from the last couple of years and will give a small business, call queing, music on hold, voicemail emailed to the user, multiple extensions and many more great advantages. Probably the biggest one of all though that comes as stock standard on an Asterisk VoIP PBX is an IVR.

An IVR is an Interactive Voice Response and in lamens terms means hearing “ press one for sales, two for support.....”. This is a feature that gives a small business a phone system that belies it's size.

If one were to type into Google “Asterisk forum” they would have many places to go to get great free advice and support for their Asterisk VoIP PBX, the open source community is very helpful and supportive of one another and they will be scrambling to help you get your Asterisk VoIP PBX up and running in no time at all. Not only are Asterisk VoIP PBX systems used in the business world they are also used by the “ VoIP boffins” as well.

In summary a Asterisk VoIP PBX is not all that hard to support and fear of the open source world should not disued one from getting the benefits that are available for free with an Asterisk VoIP PBX.