Sangoma recently introduced a new FXO product, the USBfxo. The USBfxo is a dual FXO port device, connected to your Asterisk server via a USB connection. Now, while I do admire the way Sangoma keeps trying to kick it up a notch with new products, but isn’t Sangoma a little late to jump on the USB train?

Sangoma USBfxo Device
Sangoma USBfxo Device

Xorcom had been in this business for 4 years now and I see no reason why would the Sangoma product be any better than the Xorcom product. In addition, if Sangoma is targeting their product at the very low-end PBX systems, in my book, they actually missed the product line. In my view, if Sangoma wants to put a proper USB device on the market, it should have a minimum of 4 ports on it, 3 FXO and 1 FXS. You are probably wondering why I’m propsing such a weird combo, well, the reason is simple – Fax machines and they yet to be improved Asterisk FAX capabilities, and the fact that people still use FXS port of physical fax machines. I’m one of the biggest Asterisk and VoIP promoters I know, and even I use a physical fax machine at some points in time. True I used Hylafax and IAXmodem to receive most of my fax transmissions, but when it comes to sending faxes, nothing beats a physical machine.

So, as I started saying, Sorry Sangoma, too little, too late … better luck next time!