NethVoice: VoIP PBX app for NethServer 8

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Good morning everyone, as you see here we are happy to announce NethVoice: the Open Source VoIP PBX for NethServer 8

What’s NethVoice?

NethVoice is a professional IP telephony solution that offers a host of advanced features and an intuitive user interface. It is designed to simplify deployment and provide a quick and easy setup experience. It also offers a wide range of security features to protect the privacy and security of your data.

It is also Open Source and based on Asterisk, so it guarantees the same flexibility and interoperability, but being a professional solution it also minimizes the disadvantages of this switchboard.

Take a look at the main repositories on github:

Differences between Asterisk and NethVoice

Asterisk is a very popular Open Source solution for creating IP telephone exchanges.

But NethVoice has some additional features:

  1. Ease of use: NethVoice was designed to be easy to set up and use, with an intuitive user interface and extensive call reporting. Instead Asterisk requires a greater level of technical expertise for configuration and management. The initial barrier to entry is not at all trivial, and a lot of training is required before you can manage it independently.
  2. Easy installation: it can be installed on the NethServer platform with one click and the initial configuration is guided by an extremely intuitive wizard. The installation of Asterisk, on the other hand, is long and not very guided, and is also different from system to system.
  3. Additional Modules Wizard, NethVoice CTI and so on…
  4. Management of physical and mobile devices: switchboard supports various brands and allows you to configure and administer hundreds of IP phones simultaneously without accessing the web interface of the IP phone itself.

Overview

Highlights of NethVoice :fire:

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You will find 2 distinct applications in the NethServer 8 software center:

  • NethVoice Proxy: Handles all incoming and outgoing SIP and RTP connections and allows multiple NethVoice applications to be installed on the same NethServer 8 node. Only one NethVoice Proxy can be installed per node, while multiple NethVoice instances can be installed on each node. It must be installed and configured BEFORE the NethVoice application.
  • NethVoice: Contains the PBX part that performs all telephony functions, administration interfaces, NethVoice CTI and NethVoice Report, and all other components.

Multitenant

Thanks to NethVoice Proxy, it’s possible to install up to 20 NethVoice instances on each NethServer 8 node. With the evolution of the product, we intend to lower the number of simultaneous calls to ensure a higher number of installations per node.

NethVoice Administration

The admin interface makes configuring the PBX very simple and fast, thanks to the visual plan for building call flows, the initial setup wizard, and provisioning for phone configuration

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Visual Plan

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NethVoice CTI

NethVoice CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) is a software component that integrates telephony and computing, enabling users to manage phone calls directly from their computer. It provides functionalities such as call control, contact management, and call logging. Using WebRTC technology, you can make and receive calls and contact your clients and colleagues directly through your browser.

  • User-centric structure
  • Modules integrable into external applications
  • Unified design system

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phone island

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Configuration Scenarios

The following configuration scenarios are supported:

  • Public IP on the NethServer 8 network card (typical cloud scenario)
  • Local IP on the NethServer 8 network card with 1:1 NATed public IP and no connections from the local network to NethVoice (typical cloud scenario)
  • Local IP on the NethServer 8 network card without needing to publish NethVoice services to other networks (typical on-premise installation with clients only in the local network)
  • Local IP on the NethServer 8 network card with necessary port-forwarding or 1:1 NAT of a public IP and connections to NethVoice from both the local network and remote networks (typical on-premise installation using, for example, NethVoice APP and/or NethVoice CTI from outside).

To use the new NethVoice in this scenario, the firewall must be configured with Hairpin NAT, also known as NAT Loopback or NAT Reflection.

NethVoice handles network traffic solely on one network interface of NethServer 8. Interaction with the new NethVoice is no longer possible using the public or local IP. Instead, it requires the configured hostnames (NethVoice Proxy, NethVoice, and NethVoice App).

Therefore, it is essential that the name resolution of the various clients is functional and correct (public IP for remote connections, local IP for local connections).

How to install it

NethVoice Proxy and NethVoice can be installed on NethServer 8 using the Software Center,

  1. Install and configure the NethVoice Proxy application first; find the instructions here.
  2. Install and configure the NethVoice application subsequently; find the instructions here.

Community Version Features

The application installable from the software center allows:

  • Configuration of up to 8 users
  • Maximum of 5 simultaneous calls on the proxy

Upcoming features

NethVoice with Subscription

We are working on a new subscription to extend the functionalities of NethVoice, which will include:

  • Commercial technical support by Nethesis
  • Enterprise Stable Repository
  • Automatic Updates
  • Unlimited users on NethVoice
  • Unlimited simultaneous call on the Proxy
  • Provisioning with RPS (setting up the phone automatically by redirecting it to a configuration server. When a phone is powered on and connected to the network, it contacts the RPS, which then redirects the phone to the appropriate provisioning server.
  • NethVoice Mobile App (for Android and Iphone)
  • Client for Desktop (for MacOS and Windows)
  • NethVoice Report
  • Queue Manager

Happy exploring :artificial_satellite: and thank you all for your interest and support!

The NethVoice Team lead by our Product Manager @mrchiao

@Amygos @Stll0 @Lucia_A @edoardo_spadoni Antonio Colapietro

5 Likes
3

Looks Good!

Will test as soon as suitable environment is available…

My 2 cents
Andy

2 Likes
4

Wonderful News, this news came in just in time.

A quick suggestion are you are working on this.
Consider Implementing a One Touch License.

This will kinda work similar to Buying a PBX box. so basically, you charge an Initial License for the PBX system, with Maximum say 1 Year Updates, and no Commercial Support.
IF Someone want additional Years Software Updates, they pay for them.

However, if someone requires Commercial Technical Support by NEthesis, then the normal subscription takes charge.

this kind of licensing model, i believe will support more slightly entry level organizations with slightly more than the 8 User Limit, while offering an alternative to standard off the shelf IP PBX solutions, which might drive more people and MSP considering getting a normal PBX, getting the License.

What do you think on this?

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That’s is the idea. Personal with no ticket included and unlimited users. And Business with more features and ticket included
Thanks for your feedback

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Take note of, if one does not wish to renew renew or pay for anual license, they still get to keep The features, only new updates are disabled

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What are the limited numbers?

Isn’t provisioning already included in Asterisk, or can be achieved by DHCP options and a TFTP server?

Do these only work in a licensed environment or are they free to use? Are these apps based on Open Source licensed code? If so, which projects please?

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i think this are based on licensed version. which i think is fine considering similar apps, just sofphones alone are chargeable.

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I wrote them into the announcement :point_down:

Community Version Features

The application installable from the software center allows:

  • Configuration of up to 8 users
  • Maximum of 5 simultaneous calls on the proxy

Yep, but our provisioning is different, more powerful and easy to manage. Take a look:
https://docs.nethserver.org/projects/ns8/en/latest/nethvoice.html#provisioning

Some of them are licensed and others are Open Source as usual

2 Likes
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Will Nethvoice Get a Dedicated Marketing or Sales Page on the Nethserver website. I think for what the product offers, it deserves it.

I also came accross talking about NEthvoice on the Nethesis website, We however wish there is a similar video in English

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In general I never understood why commercial vendors cripple/limit the open source code to enforce their commercial product layer on top of the original source code. I believe the strength of a commercial company/product should come from services and quality and unique additional commercial features that star by themself, not based on modifying/limiting source code to achieve the commercial goals.

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It could be a loooong discussion :smiley:

You have to create a sustainable business and that’s not always possible ONLY with services. There are multiple ways to commercialize Open Source.

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I might have an idea, only in relation to NEthvoice that we could work both the Opensource as well as commercial, without making the user feel “Limited” artificially, whil’st also providing value and balancing between Opensource/Community and COmmercial.

I understand we cant use a model similar to Gitlab, (they have 2 revenue models) but there is something we can do.

And yes, this could be a Looong Discussion, I dont intend for that kind of conversation and i think non does.

All in All @LayLow We dont even know what the commercial Offerings are going to be, so Why don’t we Just Wait and See whats on Offer, before we begin attacking the efforts…

My 2 cents

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No attacks intended. Just speaking out loud my opinion.

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We don’t want to go there. What I miss in the case of Nethserver is honouring the vast amount of loyal SME Server/Nethserver and Open Source users and enthusiasts. After all, they are a big part of Nethservers’ success.

A company is always willing to pay fair market prices for services (helpdesk, tickets, installations, partner eco-system, support 24/7 follow the sun etc etc). In trying to commercialise too much, many have forgotten about where they came from.

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I agree, but we are trying to do the opposite: until now, NethVoice was not available to the community at all! :wink:

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Indeed it is now, but useless to me due to the limitations in number of users and concurrent lines, even in a home setup with family members and friends, or a small community. When using DISA, the number of concurrent calls is even as low as 2 only.

I like the idea of some other project where they are creative with balancing the ‘licensing’ for commercial use and non-commercial use, without limitations.

e.g:

  • Free for personal/private use license (we trust you are telling us the truth)
  • Supporters license (You are an OS lover and enthousiast, we charge you a symbolic amount)
  • Business license (Basic fee + user packages increamented by 5)

There more between free and limited and full unlimited, just like in the real world.

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I think the biggest issue is actually the number of users supported.

I think it can still make sense, to not limit number of users, but limit concurrent calls.

A family of 20 can be added, but only 5 concurrent calls,unless Licensed.

On the License as well, implement a support license, that unlocks more concurrent calls but without support.

Equally for the free plan, allow for generous donation, with a badge. (don’t be surprised if you end up generating more income from that)

But generally it’s honestly really hard to balance between community and commercial.

Equally, Implementing a complex license system is also cumbersome to. Maintain and follow.

Or as mentioned, allow users to. Pay for additional users and or concurrent calls, separately.

1 Like
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Hi all

As everyone knows here, I often prefer open source solutions over commercial. I say often, because I accept that there are NO open source solutions available for certain use cases or fields.

I will provide a good example:

MDM, also known as Mobile Device Management.

This allows organzations to provide profiles, rules and more, what a user is allowed to do with an organizational Smartphone or Tablet. Could be thought of as a glorified Parental Control functionally.

Sure there have been, and still are some open source projects for MDM out there, but all I know off have one major caveat: They can’t cover both platforms (iOS / Android) with open source.

As soon as this major Step is achieved, someone will offer big bucks for the project, too much for any dev to refuse, and the project will go private and closed source. This has happened for the specific use case MDM so many times in the past.

Another typical case where hardly any open source is available is Medical / DICOM. Here probably the main reason is no hardware access (Tomographs or simpler X-Ray machines are still not cheap, especially for a Home Lab coder!).
So not enough interest, available hardware to access…

CAD is also such a field, here certifications raise the bar.

My 2 cents
Andy

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The NethVoice team did a tremendous work to release almost everything as Open Source. I’m saying “almost” because there is only thing that is closed and it’s the Mobile App: we do not develop ourselves and we can’t control how the code is released.

NethVoice is one of our best product and we already have thousands installations that scales from very small companies to big ones.

There was an high effort on documenting and improving the code before releasing it: you can find all repositories under the Nethesis GitHub organization.
Even the code that impose the limits is Open Source, so you have no excuses to try it and hack it! :wink:

I’ve never seen a working PBX on containers, neither one that expose a simple UI for Kamailio to have multi-tenant installations. Also, take a look to the web client NethCTI a simple and integrated web phone built on webrtc: it’s amazing.

I’m one of those who pushed very hard to open up the PBX: it took about 9 years!
But as soon as we released, I’ve started starting seen complaining: this hurt so much and sometime I even regret for the effort. :cry:

I think it really worth trying before judging.
Are there thing to improve? Yes. of course: we are investing much time, effort and love on it.
Are the limit too restrictive? Maybe: we can reconsider them in the future, this is our first Open Source try for this product!

So please, be kind to the marketing team that it’s trying very hard to find a good balance between Open Source and commercial needs!

5 Likes