Mitel or 3CX Collaboration systems Differences
If you’re looking to replace your phone system, you may have heard about Mitel and 3cx. They’re both powerful business phone systems, but each has unique features.
If you’re trying to decide which is right for your business, keep reading. We’ll cover the major differences between them so you can make an informed decision.
3CX is a software-based phone system, and Mitel uses proprietary hardware.
When people think of phone systems, they often think of a software or hardware-based phone system.
While both 3CX and Mitel are software-based, the way that they operate is very different. The most significant difference between systems run with hardware and those run with software is how calls are processed.
With hardware, all calls are routed through proprietary hardware that connects to the telephone network. All signaling, processing and call setup takes place within the hardware itself, which means that the software needs to be customized by the manufacturer for each individual make and model of their device.
With 3CX’s Software Defined Telephony architecture, calls flow through a standard SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) gateway to our cloud servers, where all call processing occurs.
This allows you to use your own choice of hardware in your office, giving you complete freedom to choose whatever phones you want—and if you ever want to upgrade your phones in the future, you can do so without having to worry about losing your investment in a proprietary system.
The other advantage to this architecture is that because all processing happens in the cloud, your business will never experience any downtime due to power outages or other issues with your physical phone system.
The cost of Mitel is higher with the need to purchase phones and a server.
The 3CX system does not require any additional hardware purchases. With Mitel, you have to buy phones for each user.
The downside of this approach is that if your business changes and you need to add more seats or change the type of phone in use, your hardware investment has already been made and cannot easily be used elsewhere in your organization.
This can lead to overbuying or poor decision-making when purchasing new hardware based on outdated requirements.
3CX can run virtualized in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.
3CX can run virtualized in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud.
3CX can be deployed on-premise or in the cloud.
3CX can be deployed on a hypervisor (VMware, Hyper-V, XenServer).
3CX supports multiple cloud providers, such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform.
3CX offers a web conferencing tool (15-user license) at no charge.
This can replace the Skype for Business feature removed from Office 365 in January 2019.
In addition, 3CX offers a free training course and certification program if you purchase an enterprise-level phone system.
The company also has a free trial of its software for up to 100 users with included support. Furthermore, there is no charge for installing or migrating your existing UC solution into 3CX’s platform as long as you have already paid for initial licenses.
There are options available if you still need to purchase licenses, such as one-to-one migration services or upgrades from other vendors’ platforms, such as Polycom SoundPoint IP Phones or Mitel SIP Phones (including desk phones).
Mitel can only be installed on-premise.
While 3CX is fully cloud-based and can be installed in minutes, Mitel requires significant upfront investment in hardware.
Additionally, Mitel phones are not compatible with the 3CX PBX platform. To use Mitel for your phone system, you must invest in a new set of proprietary phones that work only with Mitel’s equipment.
This means you cannot utilize the economies of scale offered by using standardized equipment from vendors such as Cisco or Avaya.
3CX has been certified interoperable with over 50 other VoIP providers worldwide (including Microsoft Skype for Business).
By using the open-source FreePBX platform as its base and leveraging industry standards like SIP protocol calls and webRTC video calling and conferencing capabilities (not available on systems like Mitel), 3CX lets customers enjoy seamless communication across all their devices—without having to lock themselves into any one solution or technology provider
3CX offers a better mobile app experience for both Android and IOS.
The 3cx mobile app has a better user interface. For example, it offers a slide-out menu that’s easy to use and provides access to key features like making calls, viewing voicemails, and searching contacts.
In addition, the iOS version of the 3cx mobile app includes an option to sync contacts with your phone automatically so you can use your speed dials on the go.
3CX is easier to install and provision new users.
3CX has a clean interface for end users, which makes it easier for them to use the system. The program’s intuitive settings make it easy for administrators to set up their systems in minutes.
It also comes with automatic call recording if needed, which helps you keep track of important calls and conversations on your network.
Finally, 3CX offers a better mobile app experience for Android and IOS devices than Mitel does–with more features available through the apps themselves than Mitel provides through its app or website.
3cx has a cleaner interface for end users.
3cx has a cleaner interface for end users, and it’s a bit easier to navigate and understand, with less clutter than Mitel. This can be especially helpful if you’re working with someone with little experience in this area.
In addition, 3cx has a better mobile experience. When you log in on the go with your phone or tablet, you’ll see all of your account information on the screen—and not only that but any contacts or calls related to that account will be displayed as well (unlike Mitel).
Another thing worth noting is how easy it is to install and provision new users with 3cx compared to Mitel. With 3cx, all you do is open up an invite link; no need for IT assistance or anything like that.
Also, keep in mind that if your company offers an annual contract for its phone service (as opposed to month-to-month), then the cost per user drops from $50-$60 down into single digits ($5-$10).
Plus, there’s no contract; pay each year as needed! That said: If monthly billing sounds better for your business model, check out our article about monthly vs. annual billing options here.
3cx has automatic call recording if needed.
The 3cx phone system has automatic call recording if you need it. As soon as a call starts, the 3cx server will record the conversation and store it in the database. The Mitel phone system does not have this feature.
If you have your own VPS or dedicated server, you can install the 3CXPhone Server software, and record calls anywhere between your phone and your computer.
This gives you complete control over what’s being recorded and where it’s being saved (in case someone deletes an important file).
However, if this isn’t an option for some reason, then at least there is still an alternative: You can always take advantage of cloud services such as Google Drive or Dropbox to save all recordings for later perusal (which may be necessary when dealing with sensitive conversations).
If you want an easy-to-use phone system with many features that work on multiple platforms, then 3CX is your choice.
3CX is a software-based phone system that can be virtualized in Azure, AWS, or Google Cloud. You can run 3CX on a physical server or a virtual machine.
You can also run 3cx on a physical server, but I recommend going with cloud hosting because of the ease of management and scalability options available vs. traditional server hardware setups.
Conclusion
In summary, Mitel or 3CX Collaboration systems is a great choice for businesses of all sizes that want to save money by implementing a cost-effective solution.
If you need to implement one of those systems, kindly contact our company Pechant Telec.
