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The PBX market is shifting fast in 2025. Some of the biggest names in the industry are making decisions that create real problems for their channel partners and resellers. And Australian MSPs are not immune from these headaches.
Let’s look at what’s happening and why it matters.
3CX built its brand around affordable pricing and channel support. But that’s changing. The company has recently raised its prices for popular SMB and Enterprise plans. It now charges Partners for customer support that used to be free. It is also moving away from the small business market.
This is bad news for partners. Higher costs cut into margins. Paid support adds new overhead. Walking away from small customers reduces the market.
Many MSPs built their business around 3CX. Now, they are left trying to explain these changes to their clients or looking for alternatives.
For MSPs and service providers, this shift is more than inconvenient. It erodes the value proposition that partners use to win business. Higher costs reduce margin, support fees add overhead, and pushing away smaller customers shrinks makes no sense in Australia, where SMB is 90% of the market
Avaya recently announced a new rule. They will only take on deployments with 200 seats or more for their flagship CX platform. While this move may be positioned as a focus on ‘enterprise,’ it's unmistakably a retreat from the SMB segment.
That’s a major shift. Most Australian channel partners focus on clients with fewer than 100 seats. These are law firms, medical clinics, retailers, and other small to medium-sized businesses.
Avaya’s decision takes those opportunities off the table. Partners are now left with fewer options and lost revenue.
Partners and customers alike are now left wondering about long-term support, development roadmaps, and the viability of continuing to invest in the platform.
Mitel has recently gone through the Chapter 11 bankruptcy process. This does not mean they will disappear. But it does bring serious uncertainty.
Partners are now asking hard questions. Will support continue? Will updates arrive on time? Will customers still trust the product?
If your customers read the new, these unknowns make it harder to sell or renew Mitel services. Many Mitel providers will now need to have a stable of alternative PBX and Call Centre solutions, just in case.
Channel partners who continue to sell or support Mitel must now prepare contingency plans—potentially at their own cost—while facing customer doubt and delayed buying decisions.
Business Voice is a sideline for the big Australian telcos. Once-flagship PBX products like Telstra DOT, Optus Loop, and BizPhone have been left to age out of the market.
Many of these platforms have not seen real upgrades in years. Most of these platforms’ pre-date hybrid working, and are built for a world of desk phones of offices.
The world has not stood still. Compared to market-leading alternatives, many of the Big Telco offerings are missing critical features like AI transcription, CRM integration and real-time call analytics.
The reality is Big Telco partners are being left behind. The legacy phone systems they offer just don’t compete with newer, more flexible platforms.
The PBX world is changing fast. Standing still is no longer an option.
Rising costs, commercial uncertainty, and outdated offerings could be putting your customer base at risk. Whether you offer 3CX, Avaya, Mitel, or partner with one of the Big Telcos, now is the time to consider the strength of your business voice offering.
Look for a cloud PBX platform that supports smaller businesses. Choose a vendor that offers modern features, long-term certainty, fair pricing, and strong partner support.
For many Australian MSPs, the AdvancedPBX platform is a compelling option. If you’re considering a change, contact us for a free demo.
