Back to Blog
Tech

PBX for SIP Trunking

Published on:

February 27, 2014

Version 5.2.0 introduces a valuable improvement for extensions with multiple alias numbers. Now, when an inbound call is received, the PBX will send the called alias number to the registered device; if the number isn't on the alias list, the primary extension name is used. This change enhances the role of the PBX, so it also serves as a trunk engine. It’s particularly beneficial for SIP trunking providers, who can leverage features like PCAP recording, RTCP-XR for SLA monitoring, and the management of both IPv4 and IPv6 interfaces. Additionally, with improved CDR reporting, billing becomes easier, and the PBX scales efficiently with virtualization support.

Christian Stredicke

5.2.0 introduces a small but important improvement: if an extension has more than one alias number, it will send the called alias number to the registered device on inbound calls. In case a number was called that wasn't on the list of alias names, it will still pick the primary name of the extension.

The background for this change is the PBX isn't always used purely as a PBX. Instead, because of its functionality for dealing with devices behind NAT (session border controller) and other features like SRTP encryption, it's useful as a trunk engine. Customers register their devices as extensions on the PBX and, although the PBX treats this as extensions, what the customer sees is a SIP trunk.

Service providers who are using the Vodia PBX for SIP trunking can also benefit from the PCAP recording the PBX provides for easy, customer-based trouble shooting. Our PBX is probably one of the few that supports RTCP-XR for SLA monitoring. The automatic blacklisting feature makes it resilient against common scanners, while the multi-tenant feature can serve as additional support for to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.

That the PBX is able to operate on multiple IPv4/IPv6 interfaces makes it possible to run other SIP devices in a private network while customers see the public interface. It's even possible to have customers register on IPv6 while the private network is still on IPv4.

With the new CDR reporting, it also becomes a lot easier to bill the customer. SIP trunk providers can use the template PHP code to integrate the PBX CDR with their billing systems. Because the PBX is software based, it scales with the availability of powerful server hardware. The support for virtualization makes it possible to have a failover, with even calls staying up.

In the private network, customers can run another SIP-compliant PBX. For example, we've had a case where a customer was running a Cisco CallManager in the corporate network and needed a solution to interface with the public Internet using the PBX as the session border controller. It worked well.

Latest Articles

View All
Tech

Should You Upgrade Your Vodia PBX? A Practical Guide

Delaying PBX upgrades may feel safe in the short term, but real-world dependencies like security standards, app compatibility, and vendor APIs eventually force reactive upgrades at the worst possible time. Staying reasonably current with Vodia PBX versions, rather than clinging to outdated releases or jumping on every new preview, helps maintain security, compatibility, and performance while avoiding emergency upgrades, especially as newer features and OS requirements become unavoidable.

December 19, 2025
Announcement

New York City Department of Education Will Move Its Telephony to the Cloud

The New York City Department of Education has issued a Request for Expression of Interest signaling its intent to modernize district-wide communications by moving away from legacy landline PBX systems. Serving 1.1 million students across 1,800 schools, the proposed transition to a cloud-based VoIP platform focuses on resiliency, scalability, multilingual capabilities, hybrid deployment options, and integration with Microsoft Teams for more than 150,000 staff members.

December 16, 2025
Announcement

Podcast | Why Hotel Room Phones Still Matter in the Age of AI

Hospitality is undergoing a major shift as AI and cloud telephony reshape guest interactions. In this podcast, Christian Stredicke discusses which changes genuinely improve hotel operations and guest experience, why room phones still matter, and how modern PBXs can balance automation with the human touch that defines real hospitality. He also examines on-prem versus cloud deployments, renovation timing, emergency calling, and the ways the right system can reduce costs while raising service quality.

December 10, 2025