What is a VoIP Gateway?

A VoIP gateway is a device which makes and receives calls to and from the traditional phone network and converts them into SIP based IP traffic for transmission over the network to 3CX. These devices are ideal for use with a VoIP PBX such as 3CX because they allow external calls to be placed and received over traditional phone lines which generally offer good call quality and excellent availability. A key benefit of using 3CX as your PBX is that it is possible to easily combine SIP calls routed through a VoIP provider with calls routed over the traditional phone network thorough a VoIP gateway device. This combination provides excellent flexibility, reliability and cost savings.

VoIP gateways are selected based on the types of telephone lines that you have - these will be either analog or digital. Analog lines are the standard traditional type that you may have at home, while digital lines support two voice channels per line or Primary Rate ISDN (PRI) - which can support up to 30 channels per line. In the US, PRI lines are often known as T1.

Recommended VoIP Gateways for use with 3CX

Having tested a number of VoIP gateway devices with 3CX, we recommend the Patton SmartNode and Sangoma with NetBorder Express range of VoIP gateways. These offer a great combination of value, performance and compatibility coupled with easy integration with 3CX.