Multi-Tenant on same PBX

[veiliant]

Does anyone put several Tenants on the same PBX, and just Group them separately?
Company ABC Extension 1000's
Company DEF Extension 2000's
Company XYZ Extension 3000's

Have a few clients that are small, maybe only need 3 or 4 extensions, doesn't seem worth wasting an IP address and managing 3 or 4 separate PBX's. Also because our ISP is charging 35$ per static IP Address.

Is this a common setup, or does everyone setup all company's on separate PBX's?

Thanks in Advance.

 

[Saqqara]

Use seperate 3CX setups, will save you alot of hassle - 3CX is not designed for multi-tent

Why not host the clients setup in the cloud on one of many 3CX tested systems - https://www.3cx.com/docs/cloud-pbx-providers/ .

Even use an Raspberry PI device locally - https://www.3cx.com/blog/docs/raspberry-pi-pbx/

 

[JohnS_3CX]

Hi veillant

Please be advised that the system is not designed for multi tenant use, and there may be some privacy concerns for extension isolation, phonebook, trunk call cost matters, reports etc. The system is designed with one tenant per instance.

 

[eddv123]

3CX do have something (if my mind recalls correctly) where you have a single pane of glass for managing multiple instances but for Linux versions only.

This is currently in progress also: https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/3cx-central-monitoring-for-resellers.54553/page-3

In both cases as with the above you still require multiple PBX's, the only option for true multi tenant is a fudge using multiple extension groups to split locations but this is far from a complete solution.

 

[veiliant]

So its not recommended to do that? Managing 5 or 6 different PBX's all with 3-5 Extensions is the way to go? Seems like there has to be a better way? Managing won't be worth it? Especially since the ISP wants 35$/month per IP.

Call costs aren't a concern, because we sell as unlimited within north america.

Maybe its not conventional, but is this something someone has deployed?

 

[leejor]

It all depends on what the customers expect to be able to do with the PBX, and can accept any limitations. If it is only going to involve a few extensions per customer, and interactions, between extensions would be rare, then it might work. Sharing some common features, like the receptionist (where all calls go if someone exits just about anything), and mistakenly transferring a call to the extension of another company, may be too much of an issue to overlook. If a SIP provider is shared, for outgoing, then someone is going to have to keep track of billing.

 

[veiliant]

Ahh i see, but if you were to have separate numbers and separate trunks, it would route to seperate Auto-Attendants anyway, ending in going to separate general voicemail boxes, etc.

Just thinking it would be easier to manage multi tenants with not many extensions. I haven't tested it, but can't you disallow transferring to certain extensions from different Groups? so i don't see that being an issue.

Just wondering if anyone has done this and if they ran into any issues.

 

[Saqqara]

The main one willl be the address book, it will one per 3cx install. Which means all the companies will be able to see each other contacts unless your remove the address book setup for each desk phone (not sure if you can do this with 3cx mobile contact). I also believe you can not remove the address book for the webclient

Without an address book, you will not see who’s calling - you will see telephone number not company name

 

[Saqqara]

You are looking at $35 per IP address but you are not taking into account other factors.

1, Your costs, to manage a system which is not designed for multi tenant for the reasons above. Calls from clients, why does this not work, or can the system do this - as you are doing work arounds you have to tell the client you can not have this function.

It very easy to get the functions of the 3cx system just by browsing their website.

2. 3cx licensing , if you have one server you will be paying for a 3cx license . For small systems not requiring pro or enterprise license the 3cx client is free for 8 sim calls

Now $35 does not seem expensive

 

[veiliant]

Yeah if you look at it in that sense, but if we try to compete with local telco's offering hosted PBX's at 25$ an extension kind of deal. if we have a client with 3 extensions, we factor in hosting and sip trunks + 35 a month. There's no room for profit?

I guess our clients aren't even using the address book, they are just using local address books, that are saved on the phone only.

 

[veiliant]

Ahh ok nevermind, i just tested the Group and PhoneBook. I thought you were able to dissallow calls between groups.

 

[JonnyM]

Agreeing with everybody who says not to do this, find someone who doesn't charge $35 per IP address.