1. Why is the retail version of Asterisk Business Edition no longer available?
   Asterisk Business Edition was created to meet a particular need at a time when open source was not well-received by typical commercial users. In recent years, many organizations in both public and private sectors have explicitly accepted open source software for production use. Also, many of the support entitlements around Asterisk Business Edition have become available around open source Asterisk by way of Digium's open source support subscriptions. This offers the flexibility of choosing the best open source release of Asterisk for your needs, with the assurance of Digium's Technical Support team ready to assist you.
2. Does this mean I can no longer use the copy of ABE that I've already purchased?
   Not at all. Your licensed copy of ABE has no expiration date and will continue to remain functional. Digium will continue to provide support for the remainder of its current subscription. Once your subscription expires you will no longer receive support and updates for ABE, but your system will retain all of its current functionality. Digium recommends you migrate to open source Asterisk and purchase an open source support subscription.
3. I have ABE version A or version B - what are my options to obtain support?
   Only ABE version C is under maintenance, and it is not possible to upgrade in-place from version A or B to ABE-C. Anyone previously using ABE can purchase an open source subscription and use an incident to help transition from ABE to open source. This offers more flexibility to the customer in choosing whether to adopt new Asterisk features before the slower ABE release process makes them available.
4. My company's IT security policy doesn't allow me to use open source; how can I buy support for Asterisk?

   If Asterisk is the best option, Digium respectfully suggests your company review its policy. Ask your policymakers to reconsider their stance on open source. Sometimes a justified request is all it takes.

   Another option is to migrate to Switchvox. Switchvox is not open source, and comes with an End-User License Agreement. For customers who want a PBX, it is likely a better solution than the build-it-yourself flexibility of Asterisk alone.

   If open source simply is not an option, we do offer Asterisk Licenses under negotiated terms that offer relief from the GPL. This option is geared towards organizations that wish to build a closed-source solution based on or incorporating Asterisk. For more information on OEM licensing, please contact our Business Development team.

5. Why are ABE support renewal part numbers still on the price list.
   For current ABE subscribers, one year renewals will be available through December 31, 2010. This is intended to ease the transition to open source Asterisk.
6. Will I have to pay a higher cost to renew ABE support?
   No, the one year renewal price is the same.
7. My customer purchased ABE last month (or during the last twelve months) and has already made a substantial investment in the installation and customization. Will Digium issue a refund for the ABE license if I am forced to move to Open Source?
   No, the ABE license and subscription are still valid and fully functional. However, to receive support on the latest updates to Asterisk, it may be in your customer's best interest to transition to open source subscriptions.
8. Can I add additional concurrent calls to my current ABE license if the support subscription is still current?
   The concurrent call limitations are removed completely by transitioning to open source subscriptions.
9. I am an Asterisk integrator who offers a bundled support and services package to my customers. Will I have to sell OSS subscriptions to my customers?
   You are not required to sell them, but subscriptions are the means to purchase Asterisk support from Digium. They're also a great way to increase the value of any Asterisk-based custom telephony application while offloading some of the support burden.
10. I'm a Digium authorized Affiliate, Registered or Select resellers. How do I obtain support?
    Digium resellers enjoy a variety of benefits that are not changing with this product transition.
11. Why are Asterisk Subscriptions better than Asterisk Business Edition subscriptions?

    Open source subscriptions offer customers greater flexibility. Support is available for any version of Asterisk, including the latest releases with the latest features.

    Unlike ABE, open source Asterisk has no artificial limit on the number of concurrent calls the system is allowed to process. This significantly reduces costs and simplifies deployments.

    Starting in early 2010, all new releases of Asterisk are subjected to an extensive battery of automated pre-release tests, similar in form to the manual tests conducted on all ABE releases. This critical change has significantly improved the quality and stability of open source Asterisk.

    Changes in Digium's Asterisk release management policy, including the introduction of pre-release builds called "release candidates" have further raised confidence in the quality of the open source releases.

    Open source Asterisk is available for free under the terms of the GPL. With an open source support subscription, users do not pay a license fee, they pay only for the entitlements of the subscription.

12. What if I don't want to stop using ABE because of the GUI interface?
    Digium offers a turnkey solution which is very GUI driven and user friendly known as Switchvox. Switchvox is sold with ongoing support for activated extensions. If you wish to continue to use open source Asterisk with the aid of a GUI, AsteriskNOW 1.7 includes an installation menu that offers the same GUI used in ABE. AsteriskNOW is supported under the Open Source Support Subscriptions.
13. I purchased ABE from Digium, aren't I an OEM user?
    No, customers that purchased a license key are end-user retail customers. Licensees and OEMs have signed a legal agreement directly with Digium. For more information on Proprietary Asterisk Licensing, please contact our sales team.
14. What are examples of the types of features available in Open Source that are not in ABE?
    Recent features in open source Asterisk include the availability of multiple timing sources, a calendering interface, fax enhancements, and secure RTP. You may review a live list of changes to the latest version of open source Asterisk. Please note: ABE version C uses a modified version of Asterisk 1.4.

Subscriptions

Support for Asterisk Business Edition

Asterisk Business Edition is backed by Digium's professional support team for the duration of your Asterisk Business Edition subscription. Support options vary with the level of subscription purchased (see chart for details). For Gold and Platinum subscription customers, installation, configuration and operational support is available by telephone. All subscription customers receive unlimited e-mail support.

Customers building advanced telephony solutions using the Asterisk Business Edition platform may require assistance beyond the scope of our support offering. Consulting, solutions architecture, advanced configuration, systems integration and custom development can be purchased from Digium's Professional Services.

Support Renewal

All subscriptions are sold on a 12-month basis. Near the expiration date of your subscription your Digium reseller or a Digium Direct sales agent will contact you regarding renewal. Renewal of your subscription is optional but highly recommended. Renewal will provide another 12 months of software updates, support, warranty extension, monitoring and backup services and more. Subscription renewal prices are set at $95.00 for Silver, $245 for Gold and $795 for Platinum.

Subscription Upgrade

Customers who choose to upgrade from one class of subscription to another will retain the remaining value of their original subscription in the form of an extension on the duration of their new subscription. For example, a Silver customer who chooses to upgrade to Gold after 2 months will retain 83% of the MSRP value of the Silver or $79. The $79 in retained value equates to approximately 4 months of Gold service. Thus the new Gold subscription will be extended by 4 months for a total of 16 months of service.

Datasheets & Brochures

2011-11-16 - Asterisk Software Comparison (PDF)

2011-11-16 - Asterisk Business Edition Datasheet (PDF)

Agreements & Policies

2011-11-16 - Digium End-User Purchase and License Agreement (PDF)

2011-11-16 - Digium End-User Purchase and License Agreement (HTML)

Miscellaneous

2011-11-16 - Digium Software Licensing FAQ (PDF)

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