Best method for Basic FusionPBX API?

[markjcrane]

Those lines of code are not significant and and likely to be removed from the code base eventually.

My concern on that code was that it stated I wrote it. Something like this... Initial developer Mark J Crane that is true for a large amount of FusionPBX but its not at all true for this feature. If my name is on it and there is a security problem I'm going to get blame and people are going to expect me to maintain it. You are on your own on this don't expect any help on it. I will focus my time on other things and the official API that you are competing with.

 

[Adrian Fretwell]

@markjcrane I agree with what you are saying, you don't want to be getting support calls about someone elses code.

I have created a pull request to update the developer information in the file headers.

I want to make it clear that there is no competition. The Official FusionPBX API is closed source so we would have no idea what we were competing with!

What has been provided is intended as an educational resource for anyone interested in developing their own API code. It is CERTAINLY NOT a production API application.

Both open source software and open source hardware are great gifts to the world, allowing communities to develop and thrive without financial issues becoming a barrier.

We all want FusionPBX to be a great success both now and in the future. I support FusionPBX as a member and prior to membership, with donations. Part of my supporting FusionPBX is, where possible, trying to help individuals on this forum. There are many individuals who will never be able to afford a big full blown API and/or may never have the need for all the functionality that such an API may offer. Surely there can be no harm in providing some help to individuals who want to develop a small API to meet their own personal needs.

 

[markjcrane]

It will likely have a larger impact than you think...

 

[Fugoo]

@markjcrane Is it that you need *gold* membership to use the api ? That is $1000/month and a lot of coders can be hired with that money. The gold offer is perhaps too much for those who don't need a callcenter and have no 3 employees dedicated to fusionpbx. Perhaps I might suggest a finer granularity in the subscriptions so that some of us will be happier to subscribe at a level that is more in line with their needs?

 

[InTeleSync]

Agree with @Fugoo in that the math doesn't work for the API cost. There are also many other costs in choosing the voice engine to use, including carriers, infrastructure, labor, etc. SignalWire is a great place to monetize FreeSwitch. 2600hz has also figured it out.

Personally I don't think there should be any cost for any API anywhere. On the other side of every API are costs and time associated with development against that very API. The API is your "sticky point". Get the customer in first and then work on keeping them there. Monetize in other ways and means. That's just a business recommendation. My business decision to not use FusionPBX/FreeSwitch en masse is directly related to the aforementioned posted API cost versus writing it ourselves, and valueing that against an existing in-house codebase already developed for Asterisk systems.

In other words, I loved loved loved FusionPBX. The API costs pushed me away.

 

[markjcrane]

As soon as the application manager is done and able to deliver free and member features the API is going to be offered to purple members and I'm also considering offering it to blue members. I'm in the front seat driving project forward and always have been since I started FusionPBX and I'm the major contributor. I know a lot of what is going on and challenges that we are facing. We live in a world where funding is required we can't escape that. Without funding I can't work at this full time or pay others to do it full time as well. Software is only relevant if it can keep up with the needs of the users. We live in a competitive world your users will not host with you if there are not features that meet the needs of your customers. This area of technology is very competitive and to keep FusionPBX relevant takes a lot of work. I'm not the type of person to demand the help that is needed to keep this relevant. Instead I'm trying to help you see the logic to why we have the model we now have. The FusionPBX members are making it possible to increase our development speed, security and improve stability. The membership model is like paying for a martial arts classes, workout gym membership, music lessons except in this case it helps many of you earn money. So it is not unreasonable to provide benefits that encourage people to help keep the project sustainable that helps them keep customers that pay money.

Software requires ongoing security development. Work to keep the software working on the new operating systems, to continue working with dependencies that are changing. Changes in the programming language require work to refactor the code adjusting it for changes in the programming language. Then there are competitors working on new features that can attract your customers to other systems. So its important to keep improving the code and features in order to be relevant. Without this you will loose all your customers or be forced into becoming a reseller for another system.

The idea of monetize by becoming a VoIP provider this isn't a bad idea. It takes planning and development to build this and would requires a fair amount of resources to pull it off and to do it well. Signalwire is doing this and kudos and hat tip to them... they have large investments to help make it possible. I'm happy for them.

FusionPBX sustainability model will be refined and adjusted over time carefully to continue to help us stay relevant and the project to be sustainable. Things are improving with as we get closer to economy of scale. We had requests for a cheaper support option so we added the blue member level. We are having requests for a cheaper option for the API so it will be available soon to Purple members. I would like to continue to reduce costs on some features like the API and eventually would like to offer it for free. But before we can do that we need to have sustainability and development at a rate that ensures you are not loosing customers to few large corporations that are taking over telecommunications.

 

[InTeleSync]

Seems to me the fastest way to revenue is to be a VoIP interconnect. You already own the software for immediate integration. It's a pay-per model, so there are no real significant out of pocket up front costs. You're sitting on an existing and captive customer base, which theoretically should launch you directly into volume pricing with underlying carriers, allotting for above average margins. An Underlying carrier could even be SW - why should they care? Little bit of work on the compliance and porting side, but managable. Provide a 'free' API for customers to port numbers and pull CDRs of course.

 

[Adrian Fretwell]

We support FusionPBX and want it to remain successful, make no mistake about that. We all have to find a way to put food on the table.

As an ITSP, FusionPBX is just one of many Open Source software components that we use on our platform. The software package count runs in to hundreds, for example, proxies, firewalls, databases, filing systems, service monitoring, replication and backup etc., the list goes on...

Whilst we do make donations to other developers, it is not commercially possible for us to support all of the developers of the other Open Source software in the same way as we support FusionPBX. We are therefore very thankful that these individuals and organisations have not restricted access to their products based on our ability to pay.

 

[markjcrane]

Seems to me the fastest way to revenue is to be a VoIP interconnect. You already own the software for immediate integration. It's a pay-per model, so there are no real significant out of pocket up front costs. You're sitting on an existing and captive customer base, which theoretically should launch you directly into volume pricing with underlying carriers, allotting for above average margins. An Underlying carrier could even be SW - why should they care? Little bit of work on the compliance and porting side, but manageable. Provide a 'free' API for customers to port numbers and pull CDRs of course.

There is FCC compliance because I'm in the United States that has good sized price tag. Billing is an important step could be done with third party. Then there is VoIP Taxation which is harder than they should be in the United States. To be a good provider would want a login portal too. This all adds up to cost and time to get it done. Your suggestion is fine but it does cost and take time and currently we have been focused on security and bugs, and features people need.

 

[mcg1103]

The REST API that I developed was never open source so it wasn't retracted as suggested. The REST API will be available to Purple members when the Application manager is finished. The money is used to help support the continued development of the project. In the future I'm hoping to get enough members supporting the project to reach an economy of scale that may help make it possible to reduce the cost further.

Hi Mark. How do you become a purple memeber?

 

[Adrian Fretwell]

Hi Mark. How do you become a purple memeber?

Obviously I am not Mark, but to answer your question:
Go to https://www.fusionpbx.com/
Click on the "Create a free Account" button. Once set up, log in and choose "Upgrade my Account". You can then choose the membership level you require.

 

[markjcrane]

Adrian's answer is correct.

 

[PBXMePlz]

This is a great forum discussion that I would love to weigh in on with my personal experience for feedback purposes. So if we consider larger VoIP provider companies that use applications like 3CX which is the real big one right now, then the FusionPBX membership pricing is very reasonable; the problem ultimately is for the smaller companies trying to start in the market. FusionPBX offers an amazing lack of barrier to entry, the exception being that you have to learn a lot about it because documentation could always use some improvement with the amazing pace that this project progresses at.
Frankly without forums like this, I would NOT have continued to use FusionPBX, and I wouldn't have become a member. The reason being that the publicly available documentation is only so good, and without a semi stable running server, I would have gone onto CoreDial's hosted solution. I had CoreDial on the backburner with a deadline to get FusionPBX operational.
Now I'm at a situation where I need some sort of API option, so I'm going to either have to come up with my own via terminal options, or see what I can come up with with this solution.

My current revenue stream doesn't remotely support the Gold or Purple membership as an option, and I need about 3 or 4 more clients before the Blue membership becomes a reasonable possibility.

 

[5280pbx]

Currently deploying Kazoo to test due to FusionPBX's INSANE cost just to use their API. Kazoo's is extremely extensive, not to mention their UI does not look circa 1998. VirtualPBX uses 2600hz and they are a hugely successful and well-rated VoIP provider, and the creators of 2600hz have quite the resume. Excited to try it! I will admit FusionPBX has been the best so far, far better than FreePBX because of multi-tenant support, but API is too costly while being a new VoIP provider. I'd like to have everything streamlined from the get, rather than board clients using inefficient methods until there's enough revenue to pay for API access.

 

[markjcrane]

Kazoo is somewhere around 10 times more complex dependencies to run than FusioPBX. It has several dependencies making it complex enough that most people choose to get hosted by 2600hz. You are welcome to go that route if you are being hosted your costs will continue to increase and will eventually exceed the price that you complained about in your last message. You commented about Kazoo's interface 2600hz has had multiple investors and charge for hosting. Its not surprising how money provides resources to make it possible for a nice interface.

FreePBX has made a couple million gross for multiple years it has many paid features. https://www.freepbx.org/store/commercial-modules/
Yet it still looks about the same as it did 12 years ago but an increased feature set.

Look at another project SQLite its license is public domain. https://sqlite.org/prosupport.html oh wait everything is not free? but its open source isn't it? Technical Support $8K-50K/year, SQLite Consortium Membership $85K/year... Ah a membership model.

Linux Foundation
https://www.linuxfoundation.org/membership/members
Another membership model and there are multiple levels some one of the higher levels is 250K/year or higher.

What I said earlier in this thread was as the Application Manager is completed the FusionPBX REST API price will be reduced. The Application Manager is almost done. FusionPBX look and feel will continue to get better. If you compare FusionPBX 4.4 to 4.5 you can see improvement in the look and feel and usability. Bug and Security improvement have had a high priority for the last 2 years. Looking at my Martial Arts schools, Gym's membership, Music lessons it seemed like a monthly membership (or yearly) model was a good model and close to some form of a coop or consortium. FusionPBX started Continuing Education 2 years ago. Started FusionPBX membership just over a year ago. FusionPBX is improving year after year.

 

[Edson]

Dears,

I am trying to create an API to add a domain on FusionPBX 4.5.11. I am using Postman to Request a Post.

I am debbuging the code with xdebug+vscode, but i can't see any POST variable arriving so the script can handle it to add the domain. Is it the right direction?

Thanks@

 

[markjcrane]

This would be broken by security measures that are designed to protect FusionPBX from hackers. Second an API done in this way is likely to break again and again as the code is changed.

 

[bcmike]

Currently deploying Kazoo to test due to FusionPBX's INSANE cost just to use their API. Kazoo's is extremely extensive, not to mention their UI does not look circa 1998. VirtualPBX uses 2600hz and they are a hugely successful and well-rated VoIP provider, and the creators of 2600hz have quite the resume. Excited to try it! I will admit FusionPBX has been the best so far, far better than FreePBX because of multi-tenant support, but API is too costly while being a new VoIP provider. I'd like to have everything streamlined from the get, rather than board clients using inefficient methods until there's enough revenue to pay for API access.

Kazoo is a nightmare to run yourself and expensive to host.

 

[davep]

My company is developing an omnichannel VideoBanking cloud-based communication and collaboration platform to market to community banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders throughout the USA. The platform features eNotary, end-to-end eMortgage platform, user identity, document validation, dynamic eSign, and enterprise-level video meetings. The platform utilizes FusionPBX and integration with Jitsi. What is the best way for our custom UI to communicate with Fusion? I understand that there is a FusionPBX REST API, but we do not wish to subscribe to the FusionPBX membership level to access it. We are also interested in developing a strategic partnership that includes revenue sharing, recurring development, and Fusion administration. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

 

[PBXMePlz]

My company is developing an omnichannel VideoBanking cloud-based communication and collaboration platform to market to community banks, credit unions, and mortgage lenders throughout the USA. The platform features eNotary, end-to-end eMortgage platform, user identity, document validation, dynamic eSign, and enterprise-level video meetings. The platform utilizes FusionPBX and integration with Jitsi. What is the best way for our custom UI to communicate with Fusion? I understand that there is a FusionPBX REST API, but we do not wish to subscribe to the FusionPBX membership level to access it. We are also interested in developing a strategic partnership that includes revenue sharing, recurring development, and Fusion administration. Any feedback would be much appreciated.

If you're going to market it out, what is the hold up on the FusionPBX membership level?

Since the product is opensource you could develop your own Restful API, or attempt to interface with it over SSH, or possibly interface with the database.