Asterisk Comm Framework vs. AsteriskNow PBX

Asterisk Asterisk General
1

What is the main difference between the two downloads? What are the limitations of the AsteriskNow Software PBX? We are a Avaya/Nortel and ESI shop, but have seen some recent RFPs out wanting to use open source telephony and we would like to “get into it”.

In the school system setting we have seen the Asterisk platform as the communications solution for phones (Digium mainly) as well as the intercom system including an interface for activation of speakers as well as a full blown bell schedule with insertion of wav files and pre-loaded prompts. Would the AsteriskNow software allow for the bell schedule functionality?

Any input or discussion would be greatly appreciated.

2

I assume that, by “Asterisk Comm Framework” you mean bare Asterisk. As AsteriskNow is a combination of that with an OS and specific tools and dialplan, you can do anything with bare Asterisk that you can do with AsteriskNow, and more, but it will take you longer to get a simple system working for the first time.