What is 3CX and How Does It Differ From Other VoIP Solutions?

VoIP systems have been around long enough that most businesses understand the basics: calls over the internet instead of traditional phone lines, lower costs, and more flexibility. But when businesses start evaluating specific VoIP platforms, things get murky. Some providers are fully managed cloud services. Others are software you install yourself. Some charge per user. Others charge per simultaneous call. It’s enough to make anyone’s head spin—which is exactly how legacy telecom providers like it.

3CX sits in an interesting spot within the VoIP world. It’s not quite like RingCentral or Zoom Phone, but it’s also not a traditional PBX that requires a server in the closet gathering dust. Understanding what 3CX actually is and how it differs from other VoIP solutions can help businesses figure out whether it’s the right fit for their needs. Spoiler alert: it probably is, especially when deployed correctly.

3CX: Software-Based PBX, Not Just Another Cloud Service

At its core, 3CX is a software-based Private Branch Exchange (PBX) that uses VoIP technology to handle business communications.

Unlike traditional phone systems that require dedicated hardware (and a technician who charges $200 just to show up), 3CX can run entirely over the internet. It handles voice calls, video conferencing, chat, and other unified communications features without needing proprietary telephony equipment. Learn more about how unified communications work in The ABCs of UCaaS.

What does this mean in practical terms? Users can connect most standard SIP phones, desktop apps, mobile apps, or even web browsers.

There’s no need for expensive, specialized phone hardware that only works with one vendor’s system.

This flexibility represents a significant departure from older, hardware-centric phone systems that locked businesses into specific equipment and vendors—a model that worked great for vendors and terribly for everyone else.

Deployment: Choose Your Own Adventure

One of the biggest differences between 3CX and many hosted VoIP providers comes down to infrastructure and control.

Most business VoIP services like RingCentral, 8×8, and Zoom Phone operate as complete solutions where the backend infrastructure is predetermined. When businesses sign up, they’re choosing a package where the servers, hosting locations, data center configurations, and infrastructure specifications are already set by the provider.

There are no choices to make about where data lives, what hardware runs the system, or how the backend is configured.

3CX operates on a fundamentally different model: it sells only the software. The company provides the PBX platform itself, but everything else is up to the buyer or their deployment partner to decide:

• Where to host it (on-premises servers, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, private VPS)
• What server specifications to use
• Which geographic region to deploy in
• How to configure the infrastructure
• What level of redundancy to implement

This means businesses or their IT partners make all the infrastructure decisions. Some choose to self-host on their own servers. Others select a specific cloud provider based on their compliance needs or geographic requirements. Some work with partners who handle these decisions and manage the infrastructure on their behalf. The software remains the same, but the deployment choices are entirely variable.

Private Instances vs. Shared Infrastructure

Most UCaaS providers like RingCentral, 8×8, and Comcast host multiple companies on shared infrastructure. This multi-tenant approach allows providers to efficiently manage resources and maintain systems at scale.

Businesses using these services share server capacity with other customers on the same platform, which typically means lower costs and simplified management (for the provider), as the provider handles all infrastructure maintenance, security updates, and system optimization.

The trade-off is that resources are pooled across multiple customers, and businesses have limited control over infrastructure configurations.

3CX, when deployed through hosting partners, can run on completely private instances with dedicated resources. Instead of sharing server capacity, businesses get isolated infrastructure where they’re the only tenant. This approach provides businesses or their partners with greater control over configurations, security implementations, and resource allocation.

However, it also means taking on more responsibility for infrastructure management, maintenance, and ensuring proper security measures are in place.

The Trunking Question

Unlike traditional hosted VoIP providers that bundle trunking and phone numbers as part of the service, 3CX handles this differently. With 3CX, businesses need to obtain SIP trunks from a separate provider and configure those trunks within the 3CX system. It’s like buying a car with no engine—slightly more work, but you get to choose what horsepower and acceleration you require based on if you are using it to commute or run quarter miles at the racetrack. Learn more about VoIP systems and reliability.

Partner-Driven Support Model

3CX deployment and support often happens through partners, VARs (Value-Added Resellers), or MSPs (Managed Service Providers). These partners typically handle installations, upgrades, backups, and troubleshooting. If you’re an MSP exploring UCaaS offerings, check out TechmodeGo’s MSP Partner Program.

The reality is that partner quality varies wildly. A great partner transforms 3CX into an incredibly powerful, well-supported solution.

A mediocre partner leaves businesses frustrated and wondering why they didn’t just stick with their old phone system.

To understand why the right partner matters, see Why So Many UCaaS Deployments Fail—and How to Prevent 90% of the Disasters.

Features: The Unified Communications Suite

Most standard business phone features—calling, voicemail, video conferencing, basic call routing, and instant messaging—are included in both 3CX and other hosted VoIP platforms.

For typical office communication needs, the feature sets are remarkably similar.

For deeper insight into these capabilities, read 5 Ways UCaaS Improves Team Collaboration and Customer Response Times.

Licensing: Per Call vs. Per User

3CX typically licenses based on simultaneous calls rather than total users.

A company might have 50 employees but only need licenses for 10-15 simultaneous calls if most employees aren’t on the phone at the same time.

This can lead to significant cost savings for businesses with many users but moderate call volumes.

Who Benefits From Each Approach?

Hosted VoIP services like RingCentral work well for businesses that want minimal IT involvement and everything managed by one vendor.

3CX makes sense for businesses that want control, flexibility, and cost efficiency. For a broader look at hybrid approaches, see On-Prem PBX to Cloud: Where UCaaS and CCaaS Fit In.

How TechmodeGO Delivers the Best of Both Worlds

Techmode has built its service around delivering 3CX in a way that removes all the complexity businesses worry about. Every customer gets a private AWS-hosted instance with triple redundancy and 99.999% uptime. Learn more about Techmode’s Contact Center Solutions and how the company’s Concierge Services ensure seamless support.