3CX with BT SIP

[Fred_45]

Hi,

Has anybody got any experience of using BT SIP with 3CX ?

When we signed up to BT SIP, they failed to inform us that we could only use it if we had a BT maintained phone system. We have FreePBX so the only way we could use our SIP channels is to use a BT SIP Gateway (Samsung Ubigate iBG1004). They won't even give me the details for the channels.

I now see that there is some sort of partnership between BT and 3CX so I am hoping that I might be allowed to use my BT SIP channels with 3CX and remove the dreaded SIP Gateway.

Has anybody got any experience of actually being allowed to use BT SIP channels with 3CX?

Thanks

Fred

 

[eddv123]

Hi Fred,

They are a supported provider in the UK so I should see no issues why they would not work with 3CX. If you want to be sure test with a PBX (free) edition key first (which gives you one SIP Trunk/Channel): https://www.3cx.com/partners/sip-trunks/uk/

The only personal experience I have had with BT and 3CX is with ISDN . It is quite common now for BT to present their ISDN lines from a gateway (normally Audiocodes) of which they have a SIP trunk plugged into the back.

This is then in turn plugged into one of our Pattons ISDN gateways, which in turn is converted back into SIP for 3CX and this works fine.

 

[Fred_45]

Thanks for the reply.

I was actually wondering if anybody had managed to get their SIP settings off BT for use with 3CX.

At the moment BT refuse to give them to me as I use a non-maintained BT Phone System, which is FreePBX.

How you describe is currently how my BT SIP arrives currently, into the back of an ISDN gateway and then onto my Sangoma card in the back of my FreePBX server.

However today the ISDN Gateway has failed, leaving me with no way of getting at my SIP trunks until BT can fix/replace the gateway, which is so annoying having a single point of failure and still having to rely on my Sangoma ISDN card.

This is why I was interested in 3CX as it seems to be a supported platform and I wanted to get some information before I spoke to BT about 3CX, which will probably be like pulling teeth.

 

[eddv123]

Hi Fred_45,

You are not alone with this issue, and I do not see if you have a SIP Trunk in place already why you should not be able to do this.

One point to note is that the BT SIP trunk will be IP authenticated (see previous link sent). This would mean that public IP's from your site and BT's must be configured to pass at either end of the link (unlike a registration based provider which is username and password).

What you will need to do is speak to BT and see if they have the ability to give you that public IP and enable the link as a direct SIP trunk (this is what I cannot confirm for you).

Also 3CX have made things very easy if you are using Free PBX and you can also convert your configuration between systems:
https://www.3cx.com/phone-system/download-phone-system/

If you are able get this working it begs the question of why you need ISDN at all going forward.

 

[Schrodz]

Sent you a message Fred

 

[Schrodz]

Hi Fred,

We had the same issue with BT. When you buy from BT Local Business, they only support SIP on one of their systems. If you manage to get a supplier that uses BT Wholesale then it is possible, but we struggled to find anyone like that!

We ended up buying BERONET units that our ISDN30 plugs into. Then we will be going with a SIP supplier as BT cannot supply us what we need!

Dan

 

[DL_]

You're out of luck. BT SIP as sold by BT Retail on BT.Net is completely ridiculous in their approach. If you don't use one of their very few supported systems (all hardware based) then you have to use their gateway (even though they already provide a router with their BT.net service). So you end up with a point of failure and an extra device which you can't manage.

It gets worse, as they only support one gateway and that is not a very good one and also only has ISDN interfaces. So you have your IP based phone system and you want to connect it to an IP based service on an IP based network but you have to first convert to ISDN VOICE using your own ISDN converter and then travel a short hop over ISDN before converting back again.

BT have no roadmap for supporting new hardware or a range of phone systems and the fact that you have to use ISDN for a SIP service just shows how antiquated their thinking is.

BT Wholesale ('separate' company) support proper SIP and 3CX and full IP connections. However BT retail won't sell it and it seems impossible to find a reseller who will resell BT Wholesale SIP.

In 7 year ISDN is EOL - maybe they'll do something by then.

 

[Fred_45]

Thanks everybody for the advice.

DL_ that was pretty much the conclusion I had come to following 2 days of calling around, its a completely stupid situation.

One point to raise is that the BT SIP trunks do offer great value with the inclusive minutes compared to other providers I had a look at,such as Spitfire, Zen, Gradwell & Voipfone.

Would converting the output of the BT SIP gateway back to SIP be a viable idea ? That way I could at least get rid of the ISDN card in my FreePBX.

BT SIP -> [BT SIP Gateway] -> ISDN -> [ISDN to SIP Gateway] -> [FreePBX Server]

Thanks

 

[DL_]

You can convert it back using something like the Beronet device that Schrodz mentioned or a Patton Smartnode. These create a sip gateway to ISDN interface. But you now have 2 x single points of failure, although you could buy a redundant gateway for your side.

I agree that the BT solution looks good value and the way it integrates into the BT network is also good (i.e. the traffic is kept off the 'internet' and kept within the Voice delivery network), they are just making sure it is an unattractive option for most people.

 

[Elliot Cater]

We're currently transitioning to SIP from PSTN and have just got our 100/100 BTnet leased line put in. I was enraged to find out the BT SIP solution is useless to anything that isn't controlled by BT bastardised firmware. Unfortunately we're stuck with over a £1000 of early termination charges if we decide to go to another supplier.

Apparently this Monday BT are unveiling a new SIP package but I doubt it will open the doors for vanilla SIP.

Please find attached Authorised Equipment list...

 

[Fred_45]

It is so annoying. It sounds like they have a bad habit of not telling people they need BT maintained equipment.

I even looked at their cloud offering which didn't seem to bad until they told me I couldn't use my current IP phones and I had to replace them with their phones!

If you go down my route with the SIP gateway make sure you have a backup SIP provider (setup and tested) who you can switch to in the event of a problem. I've just spent 10 days with a broken SIP gateway, which meant my BT SIP lines were out of order. Fortunately I had a backup provider who I got BT to divert my DDI's to.

They are going to have to change something soon because as soon as I can jump ship I intend to.

 

[Elliot Cater]

I can’t tell what the underlying reasoning is for this awkward, backwards deployment. There are only two scopes, greed or control. Maybe both in equal measure.

I asked the waste of skin, that is my BT local business sales rep, what form of witchcraft their SIP trunks run on. Apparently it’s the type that can only be used with Cisco or Avaya equipment.

 

[NickD_3CX]

I thought I'd pitch in here, recently we re-ran the whole Interop with BT on their WSIPT platform/product so the template was revamped and re-adjusted, literally less than 3 weeks ago.

I don't want to speak too soon, but their HSIPT platform/product might also be following soon. We have also made a configuration guide for WSIPT here: https://www.3cx.com/docs/bt-wsipt-uk-sip-trunk/

Suffice to say, if there is such limitation from BT, 3CX is considered supported at least for the WSIPT platform.

 

[Elliot Cater]

Can you please elaborate on the difference between HSIPT and WSIPT?

 

[NickD_3CX]

Can you please elaborate on the difference between HSIPT and WSIPT?

From a technical perspective, WSIPT is IP Based (no auth) and requires a public static IP, HSIPT is Authentication Based and its my understanding that won't require a static public IP.
They are different platforms, so the capabilities of each Trunk Type will be different most likely, or at least the way they work will be different, but if/when HSIPT is available, you won;t have to worry about that as we'll have a template.

For other differences, I'd say you should talk to your BT local business rep, maybe they have other information for you too.
Also, Google them, some information does come up from a quick lookup I did.