Polycom embraces Asterisk open source IP PBX

Stuart Corner
Sunday, 29 October 2006 12:02

Business IT - Technology

Code for Asterisk was originally written by Mark Spencer of Digium and has been contributed to from open source software engineers around the world. Asterisk claims to have over one million users and supports a wide range of TDM protocols for the handling and transmission of voice over traditional telephony interfaces, and VoIP packet protocols such as IAX, SIP and H.323.

The Polycom deal is the latest in a series in recent months that have signified greater acceptance of Asterisk by mainstream IT&T vendors. These include:

- In September  Digium, announced plans to launch, in early 2007, IP PABX hardware running Asterisk and in preparation for this launched a developers kit.

- In August  Digium secured a $US13.8m first round of venture funding to "help fuel the continued growth of Digium and Asterisk, especially in launching new offerings for the enterprise communications market, ranging from small to large businesses."

- In April  Aspect Software, which claims to be the world's largest company focused solely on the contact centre, announced that it would provide and support Asterisk Business Edition,

- Also in April  Digium formed the Asterisk Advisory Council to respond to the increased interest and participation in Asterisk.