3Com® Asterisk solutions provide small-to-midsize businesses with an economical compact device for delivering full-featured Voice over IP (VoIP ) services. Using uClinux as the operating system and Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) software, it offers a standards-based, cost-saving and productivity enhancing non-proprietary alternative to a PBX or key system, as well as a rich, broad set of VoIP capabilities that can be customized to match user needs.

Easy to deploy and use, 3Com Asterisk platforms integrate with the PSTN network and accommodate a mix of IP and analog phones. They can be used to implement an advanced IP telephony system for what it would cost to install a traditional PBX or key phone system, leveraging their capabilities to reduce procurement, deployment and administration costs.

A broad range of built-in business quality features include voice mail, auto attendant, Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), call queues and conferencing. The compact devices also provide a range of connectivity options enabled by a choice of four Central Office (CO) line ports and four analog device ports or eight Central Office (CO) line ports, as well as a 10/100 uplink port to connect to the network. In addition, the platforms offer 8 MB onboard flash memory and 64 MB of RAM.

3Com Asterisk solutions demonstrate the power of open source technologies to reduce cost and optimize functionality. They also deliver one more critical ingredient that maximizes the value of this groundbreaking product: expert support. 3Com Global Services and 3Com partners, certified to install and service the appliance, offer a range of services that include on-site and remote maintenance and installation support with flexible coverage and response time options from 24x7 with four-hour response time to 8x5 with next day response.