We just love lists, don’t we? Since we are into VOIP in this blog, I thought why not present a list of the best open source VOIP applications? Lucky for me, I didn’t have to look far for this sort of information – I ran across an extensive list presented by Virtual Hosting Blog. I picked out some of the items on the list. If you want the whole thing (it is quite long), you can see the whole list of the top 50 open source VOIP apps.

SIP Proxies

• OpenSer: OpenSER has been described as a “mature and flexible” SIP server so it’s no surprise that it’s popular among users. OpenSER development began with FhG FOKUS SIP Express Router, but then diverged into its own feature-laden software package that was released in 2005. Since then it’s been exhibited around the world, and makes a great addition to Linux systems looking to employ VoIP technology.

• VOCAL: Open source VoIP developers can benefit from the software and tools found in VOCAL. Developed through the Cisco sponsored labs at Vovida, VOCAL is fully customizable to business needs and can provide call routing, billing information, call control and more in an easy to control and maintain Linux based system. It’s been successful due largely in part to its immense capability for adaptation and scalability, and likely will only see further integration into business systems in the future.

SIP Clients

• Linphone: Linphone is promoted as a solution to help users communicate more freely over the Internet using voice, video and text messaging. Recent updates to the program have made it even better, solving many compilation issues while adding improved interoperability and new features. While currently only stable on Linux systems, development is under way for a Windows version as well.

• PhoneGaim: If you haven’t heard of PhoneGaim you’ve likely heard of its proprietary counterpart Gizmo Project. While it doesn’t have the instant name recognition of its VoIP cousin Gizmo, PhoneGaim is still a product to take note of. Developed in an attempt to challenge Skype, the program is loaded with integrated features that help make the VoIP experience rewarding, even for those just using the software at home.

PBX

• Asterisk: Asterisk is perhaps the greatest open source VoIP success story of them all. It is the leading open source telephony engine and tool kit and is used in thousands of servers and VoIP setups all over the world. What makes it so great? The standard system supports many features available in proprietary PBX system like voice mail, conference calling, interactive voice response, and automatic call distribution but also has the versatility to be adapted and personalized based on business or individual needs.

• OpenPBX: Developed by Australian company Voicetronix, OpenPBX is a popular solution both with small offices and with large call centers. With features like unlimited voicemail, auto-attendant, automatic call distribution, music on hold and call parking it’s easy to see why. It also has the advantage of highly compact Perl code, meaning it’s very easy to customize and extend.

Now why aren’t I surprised that Asterisk is there?

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