3CX — business phone system platform in South Africa
3CX is an open-standards business phone system platform founded in 2005 and headquartered in Nicosia, Cyprus, used by more than 350,000 businesses worldwide. It combines a PBX, unified communications and contact-centre features with built-in AI, and is licensed per simultaneous call rather than per user. In South Africa it is bought and deployed through certified partners and distributors rather than sold directly.
Key facts
| Who they are | An open-standards business phone system platform founded in 2005, used by more than 350,000 businesses worldwide, trading as 3CX |
| Voice services | A software PBX with unified communications, contact-centre features and built-in AI, deployable on-premise or in the cloud |
| Editions | Free small-business tier, plus BASIC, PRO and AI paid editions |
| Head office | Nicosia, Cyprus (global operations) |
| Coverage | Available in South Africa through certified partners and distributors |
| ICASA licence | Not applicable to 3CX directly — it is software; the SA partner’s upstream carrier holds the voice licence |
| Pricing | Licensed per simultaneous call, billed yearly (not per user); a free small-business tier exists, with BASIC, PRO and AI paid editions. SA pricing is set by the partner — quote-based |
| Listed In | Phone System Providers |
3CX is licensed by concurrent call and deployed through SA partners
3CX is a phone system platform rather than a South African voice carrier, so the decision is less about coverage and more about deployment and licensing. It can run self-hosted, on a partner’s cloud or on your own, and its per-simultaneous-call licensing rewards businesses that have many extensions but fewer calls happening at once. In South Africa you buy and deploy 3CX through certified partners and distributors, who pair the platform with a licensed voice carrier for the actual calls. The practical question is whether owning the platform and choosing your own SIP trunk suits you better than a fully managed hosted service.
Who 3CX is a fit for
- SA businesses with more extensions than concurrent calls, where per-simultaneous-call licensing lowers the cost.
- Buyers who want deployment control — self-hosted, partner-hosted or their own cloud — rather than a locked hosted service.
- Teams wanting an open-standards platform with UC and contact-centre features, and a free tier to start on.
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Compare phone system providers →Commonly asked questions
What is 3CX?
3CX is an open-standards business phone system platform — a software PBX with unified communications, contact-centre features and built-in AI. It runs on-premise or in the cloud and connects to a licensed voice carrier for calls.
How is 3CX licensed and priced?
3CX is licensed per simultaneous call and billed yearly, rather than per user, which suits businesses with more extensions than concurrent calls. There is a free small-business tier, plus BASIC, PRO and AI paid editions. In South Africa the price is set by the partner, so it is quote-based.
How do I buy 3CX in South Africa?
3CX is sold and deployed through certified South African partners and distributors, who set it up and pair it with a licensed voice carrier for the trunking. Request up to 3 quotes through WhichVoIP to compare partner options, free and without obligation.
Does 3CX need an ICASA licence?
Not directly — 3CX is software, so it does not hold an ICASA licence itself. The SA partner’s upstream voice carrier holds the licence for the calls that ride the platform.
Can 3CX run in the cloud or on-premise?
Both. 3CX can be self-hosted on your own server or cloud, or hosted by a partner, so you can choose where it runs and move it later if your needs change.
Who is 3CX best for?
It fits South African businesses that want deployment control and have more extensions than concurrent calls, since the per-simultaneous-call licensing can lower the cost compared with per-user pricing.
This listing is maintained by WhichVoIP, an independent South African telecoms comparison service running since 2019. Details are verified against the provider’s public website and were last reviewed on 20 July 2026.