Editorial

snom ONE xxx, what does that all mean?

Published on:

November 19, 2012

The snom ONE family has a variety of confusing names, but understanding the distinctions can help clarify things. The snom ONE mini is a small, ARM-based device designed for small offices, while the snom ONE plus is a more powerful PC-based server with preinstalled software and hardware. The snom ONE mini is sold through the snom distribution channel, while the snom ONE plus is aimed at resellers who prefer pre-configured devices. The software side of things has shifted from using catchy color names to bundles based on the number of extensions, with snom ONE free being the exception, offering a risk-free entry point. For hardware, options range from standard PC servers to Apple computers and the snom ONE mini, each offering flexibility in how the system is set up.

There are a lot of confusing names in the snom ONE space: snom ONE mini, snom ONE plus, snom ONE blue, snom ONE yellow, snom ONE free, snom ONE green and now snom ONE ten, twenty, forty, eighty. At least all those names started with snom ONE. With version 5 out of the door, it is time to clarify this.

The first dimension here is hardware. There we have the snom ONE mini, which is a small, ARM-based computer with 512 MB RAM, 512 MB Flash memory and a PoE-enabled Ethernet port which is a great solution for small offices. And there is the snom ONE plus, which is essentially a PC in a nice housing and with a preinstalled Sangoma card and software inside.

We have repeatedly made statements that the spinoff is about dealing with software, and only software. That’s why the snom ONE mini remained in snom and is sold through the snom distribution channel.  If customers are purchasing hardware phones through this channel, it makes a lot of sense to do the same for the snom ONE mini hardware appliance.

The snom ONE plus is different in that it is essentially PC-based server hardware. You can go today to dell.com, ibm.com, hp.com or other server manufacturers and get your server hardware delivered to your door in matter of days, which great hardware and even replacement plans. The idea to come up with a snom ONE plus was to simply that process by pre-installing everything, so that the reseller only has to power up the device. However multiple markups have to be done during this multiple stage process, which can make the snom ONE expensive. Because in the new company we want to stay out of the hardware business, we just defer snom ONE plus requests to our partner who actually assembles these devices. This keeps us out of the loop, which does not only help to keep the prices competitive; it also makes it faster to actually get the devices.

The second dimension is the software. A lot has already been said about the new licensing structure. From a naming perspective, we went away from colors as they are catchy, but have only very limited meaning. Instead we just picked the number of extensions that comes with the bundle. The number of extensions is still the primary factor in installations, and while this is less catchy, it explains the purpose of the bundle quite well. The only exception is the snom ONE free. Here the key point is that this is a perfect way to get onto the snom ONE train at no financial risk.

So in essence, in order to get snom ONE working in your office, you need a hardware platform, and operating system and the snom ONE software running on it. As for the hardware and operating system, you can choose from this:

  • Standard PC servers executing i386-compatible code. This is the mainstream server market. You can purchase them from the manufacturer directly or through other distribution channel. There are plenty of choices. You may run Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008, 2012 on it or Debian or CentOS Linux, all preferably 64 bit editions.
  • If you want to run Apple computers instead, that is also an option. Just make sure that it is an i386-based model, for example the Mac mini is a great candidate to operate your PBX service in the office. Contact Apple if you want to go this path. On the Apple, you want to Run MacOS X on it, probably snow leopard or something later. More about this when we finally have the version 5 image ready for the Mac.
  • The snom ONE mini is another great platform, based on ARM. There are similar devices available that are able to run ARM-based Linux , like the GuruPlug or the SheevaPlug (a.k.a. snom ONE SoHo). snom ONE mini comes with a snom ONE version 4 software on it preinstalled, while on other platforms you would have to do that on your own. And on the snom ONE mini you get a license which is somewhere between the snom ONE free and the snom ONE yellow (version 4).
  • The snom ONE plus is a server with snom ONE software preinstalled, a Sangoma NetBorder Express software preinstalled and a Sangoma PSTN gateway card preinstalled. You may decide to run Windows or Linux on it.

Latest Articles

View All

Webinar | Real-Time Media Streaming in Vodia PBX: AI, Call Transcription, and Security in V69.5.6

Join Vodia Networks on April 8 for a live, in-depth webinar on how real-time media streaming is powering the future of voice communication. Discover how Vodia PBX version 69.5.6 enables seamless AI integration, live call transcription using the Whisper API, and secure voice data handling. Hosted by Sales Engineer Eric Altman and VoIP Engineer Hamlet Collado, this session will walk you through real-world use cases, including OpenAI and Google Speech-to-Text integrations, MS Teams support, and new security features. You’ll also get a first look at Vodia’s AI roadmap and have the opportunity to ask your questions during a live Q&A.

March 28, 2025

The Vodia PBX On-Premise Whisper AI Deployment​

Whisper, OpenAI’s Automatic Speech Recognition system, delivers multilingual, noise-tolerant, and technical-language-ready transcription through a streamlined encoder-decoder architecture. With Vodia PBX’s integration, organizations can choose between using OpenAI’s service or hosting Whisper AI locally for complete data sovereignty and control. This on-premise option ensures that sensitive call data stays within your infrastructure while still benefiting from powerful transcription capabilities. To explore deployment options, see our Whisper AI on-premise setup documentation, review a self-hosted integration example, or follow our cloud-based call transcription guide.

March 27, 2025

Vodia at Enterprise Connect 2025: Embracing AI and Advancing Communications

Vodia Sales Engineer Eric Altman attended Enterprise Connect 2025 on March 18 and 19, where he connected with partners and gained insight into the future of enterprise communications. AI was the clear focus of the event, with discussions centered on agentic systems, chatbots, and generative technologies. “It was certainly the main element in the atmosphere,” Eric noted. He also shared his excitement about Vodia PBX version 69.5.6, which includes real-time AI integration with OpenAI and call transcription using the Whisper API. The event confirmed that AI is rapidly becoming a core component of modern communication platforms—and Vodia is well-positioned to lead the way.

March 26, 2025