TRUENAV Review
A buyer-focused review of TRUENAV’s restructured Cloud PBX offering, including the new TRUEPBX proprietary hosted PBX product, the managed Advanced Cloud 3CX option, the quote-driven commercial model, the 4.8-star Google rating across 114 reviews, the 20-year operating history (uThetha Telecoms from 2006, rebranded TRUENAV in 2022) and whether it fits your business.
Is TRUENAV worth shortlisting?
Yes, for Cape Town and Western Cape SMBs that want a managed Cloud PBX specialist with a 20-year track record, B-BBEE Level 2 procurement compliance and one of the highest customer-voice ratings in the SA category (4.8 stars across 114 reviews). The product line has been restructured to two quote-driven options: TRUEPBX, a TRUENAV-branded proprietary hosted PBX, and Advanced Cloud 3CX, a managed 3CX deployment with concurrent-call licensing. The structural caveat is that per-extension rates are no longer published, so side-by-side comparison against published-rate competitors requires a discovery call rather than a self-serve checkout.
- Founded2006 as uThetha Telecoms; rebranded TRUENAV in 2022
- IdentitySA-owned, B-BBEE Level 2 certified
- Pricing modelQuote-driven; concurrent-call licensing on the 3CX side
- CoverageNational cloud; on-site availability in Cape Town and Western Cape
A long Cape Town track record and strong customer signal, but a quote-driven commercial model that selects for buyers willing to engage on discovery.
TRUENAV has been running managed Cloud PBX deployments out of Goodwood for two decades, first as uThetha Telecoms and since 2022 under the TRUENAV name. The customer signal is unusually strong (4.8 stars across 114 reviews on the Goodwood listing). The recent product restructure introduces TRUEPBX, a TRUENAV-branded proprietary hosted PBX, alongside the existing managed 3CX offering. Both products are now sold on a quote basis with concurrent-call rather than per-extension licensing on the 3CX side. For buyers willing to share a requirements brief and book a discovery call, the value proposition holds. Self-serve SMBs wanting a published rate card will find the model a friction point.
Is TRUENAV likely to suit you?
Good fit: TRUENAV’s 20-year track record and 4.8-star customer signal should put it on your Cape Town shortlist.
Pros and watch-outs
What TRUENAV does well, and where to push back at quote stage.
- 4.8-star Google rating across 114 reviews on the Goodwood listing, with multiple customer testimonials from clients tenured 5 to 14 years.
- 20-year operating history under one team (uThetha Telecoms from 2006, rebranded TRUENAV in 2022) with the same leadership visible across customer testimonials.
- B-BBEE Level 2 certification for SA procurement scoring on tender evaluations.
- Two product paths: TRUEPBX (TRUENAV-branded proprietary hosted PBX) and Advanced Cloud 3CX (managed 3CX with concurrent-call licensing).
- Concurrent-call licensing on the 3CX side, which avoids the per-extension cost trap as headcount grows but call volume stays steady.
- Cape Town and Western Cape on-site availability, with dedicated account-manager relationships visible in the customer reviews.
- No published per-extension or concurrent-call rates on either the TRUEPBX or Advanced Cloud 3CX product page. Buyers cannot price-compare without engaging the team.
- TRUEPBX is a new product without an independent track record. Customer-voice signal is concentrated on the 3CX side from years of managed deployments.
- 3CX platform dependency on the Advanced Cloud product: feature ceiling, licensing model and roadmap are set upstream from TRUENAV.
- On-site response is Cape Town and Western Cape focused. National cloud deployments are supported, but field response outside Western Cape depends on the buyer’s own IT capacity or a partner.
Score breakdown
Four categories that decide whether TRUENAV earns a slot on your shortlist – weighted to the buying evidence a South African SMB actually uses.
Quote-only on both products; concurrent-call licensing avoids the per-extension cost trap but requires a discovery call to price. Self-serve buyers will find the model a friction point.
Two product paths covering proprietary (TRUEPBX) and managed 3CX, with CRM integration, video conferencing, mobile apps and the wider 3CX feature surface on Advanced Cloud.
Dedicated account managers, 10+ year client tenure visible across testimonials, Cape Town and Western Cape on-site response. National cloud coverage; field response narrower outside WC.
Operating history, B-BBEE status and customer signal are public-facing. Commercial transparency dropped after the recent product restructure removed published per-extension rates.
Pricing and the quote-driven model
TRUENAV no longer publishes per-extension rates on either product page. The 3CX side is sold on concurrent-call licensing rather than extensions, and TRUEPBX is fully quote-driven. These are the buying lines to ask the team to itemise at discovery-call stage.
| Cost area | Published rate | Buyer question | Risk level |
|---|---|---|---|
| TRUEPBX (proprietary) | Quote-only | What’s the monthly rate per user or per concurrent call, and how does TRUEPBX scale as we grow? | Confirm at quote |
| Advanced Cloud 3CX | Quote-only, concurrent-call licensing | How many concurrent calls do we actually need at peak, and what’s the licence tier cost at that level? | Confirm at quote |
| Onsite 3CX PBX | Quote-only | What’s the upfront hardware cost vs the ongoing managed support fee? | Confirm at quote |
| VoIP trunking | Quote-only, via upstream SA carrier | What per-minute termination rates apply, and which upstream carrier handles call routing? | Confirm at quote |
| Setup and onboarding | Quote-only | Is installation bundled into the monthly rate, or charged once-off? | Confirm at quote |
| Call recording | Quote-only | What recording retention is included by default, and what does extended retention cost? | Confirm at quote |
| Support tier | Quote-only | What’s included in the standard managed-support tier, and what’s a paid add-on? | Confirm at quote |
| Contract terms | Quote-only, negotiated per engagement | Minimum term, notice period and any hardware or porting clawback on early exit? | Confirm at quote |
TRUENAV previously published per-extension rates on a now-retired product line. The current site moved to a quote-driven model with concurrent-call licensing on the 3CX side. A “Stop Paying Per Extension” blog post on truenav.com explains the model shift from TRUENAV’s perspective.
3CX licensing RRP – the published floor for any 3CX-based quote
TRUENAV’s Advanced Cloud 3CX quote will sit on top of 3CX’s own licensing list price. The figures below are 3CX’s published RRP (annual, EUR, excl. VAT) verified at the 3cx.com pricelist on 21 May 2026, with indicative ZAR estimates at EUR/ZAR R19.30. These are licence costs only; TRUENAV adds managed support, VoIP trunking, optional hardware, and SA-based onboarding on top.
| Concurrent calls | Max users | BASIC (EUR · ZAR/yr) | PRO (EUR · ZAR/yr) | AI (EUR · ZAR/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 SC | 40 | €285 · ~R5,500 | €380 · ~R7,330 | €550 · ~R10,620 |
| 16 SC | 80 | €570 · ~R11,000 | €760 · ~R14,670 | €1,045 · ~R20,170 |
| 24 SC | 120 | €785 · ~R15,150 | €1,045 · ~R20,170 | €1,425 · ~R27,500 |
| 32 SC | 192 | €965 · ~R18,620 | €1,285 · ~R24,800 | €1,710 · ~R33,000 |
| 48 SC | 288 | €1,425 · ~R27,500 | €1,900 · ~R36,670 | €2,375 · ~R45,840 |
| 64 SC | 384 | €1,925 · ~R37,150 | €2,565 · ~R49,500 | €3,075 · ~R59,350 |
| 96 SC | 672 | €2,850 · ~R55,010 | €3,800 · ~R73,340 | €4,560 · ~R88,010 |
| 128 SC | 896 | €3,920 · ~R75,660 | €5,225 · ~R100,840 | €6,270 · ~R121,010 |
A free 3CX edition covers small offices of up to 10 users. Hosted by 3CX is an optional add-on (€285/yr at the 8–16 SC tiers, €950/yr at 24–48 SC, €1,425/yr at 64 SC). 3CX is currently running a “Spring Promotion 2026” with 10% off 1-year, 15% off 2-year and 20% off 3-year prepay terms. TRUENAV may pass these on or bundle them into the managed-service quote – ask. ZAR figures are indicative estimates at EUR/ZAR R19.30; 3CX publishes its pricelist in EUR and SA buyers pay at the prevailing FX rate plus any forex fees, with the reseller’s rand markup on top. Source: 3cx.com pricelist, verified 21 May 2026.
What real customers say
Unedited Google reviews from TRUENAV’s Goodwood listing – what customers say in their own words, with the source link on every card. With a 4.8-star average across 114 reviews, the public signal skews strongly positive across long-tenured client relationships.
“We are a GP Practice in Goodwood and our telephone system is extremely important in our line of business. Darren and his team has suppied and supported our system since 2020 and because of their efficient and reliable business conduct, we had no 2nd thoughts that they were also the right company to use to upgrade our printers recently…”
“Since 2019, Truenav, led by Darren and his exceptional team, has been an outstanding partner, delivering efficient, reliable, and customer-centric solutions. Their proactive approach, quick problem-solving, and commitment to excellence have been invaluable to our success as a Namibian-based company.”
“We have been with Truenav for more than 10 years now. I highly recommend their services. Very helpfull, responsive and professional.”
The TRUENAV product line
TRUENAV restructured its Cloud PBX offering into two product paths. TRUEPBX is the TRUENAV-branded proprietary hosted PBX. Advanced Cloud 3CX is the managed 3CX deployment with concurrent-call licensing.
TRUENAV-branded proprietary hosted PBX
Cloud-hosted PBX with voicemail-to-email, auto attendant, call forwarding and call queuing. Pitched as a scalable alternative to on-premise hardware, with TRUENAV providing the managed-support layer.
Managed 3CX with concurrent-call licensing
Cloud-deployed 3CX with CRM integration, video conferencing, mobile apps, end-to-end encryption and SIP-attack protection. Licensing scales on concurrent calls rather than per-extension headcount.
Customer-owned hardware deployment
For organisations preferring on-premise rather than hosted. Quote-scoped per project, with TRUENAV providing installation and ongoing managed support.
A 20-year Cape Town track record and strong customer signal outrank published pricing transparency.
- You are a Cape Town or Western Cape SMB that values local on-site availability and a dedicated-account-manager relationship.
- Public customer-review signal weighs heavily in your shortlist decisions; the 4.8-star Google rating across 114 reviews is one of the strongest in the SA Cloud PBX category.
- B-BBEE Level 2 status matters to your procurement scoring on tender evaluations.
- You are willing to book a discovery call to scope concurrent-call needs and integration requirements before pricing.
A published per-extension rate card is the most important thing.
- You want to compare published per-extension rates the same day without engaging on a discovery call.
- You need a self-serve onboarding flow rather than an RFP-style engagement.
- Your stack depends on a proprietary platform with an established track record rather than the newer TRUEPBX product.
Alternatives to compare
Two providers worth quoting alongside TRUENAV – each one stress-tests a different decision driver: lowest published rate or mid-priced bundle model.
Wanatel
R42.50/ext Standard bundle at 10 extensions. Compare if you want a published-rate alternative sitting between Switch’s headline rate and a managed-PBX surface.
South African essentials
Four South African–specific signals to verify before signing: licensing, number porting, support escalation and contract terms.
Voice services routed via an upstream SA-licensed carrier. TRUENAV is not the direct ICASA licensee on call termination; confirm the trunk carrier and licensing chain at quote stage.
Included in managed deployments. Confirm porting timelines and any once-off porting fees at discovery call.
Dedicated account-manager model, named contacts visible across multiple long-tenure customer testimonials. Cape Town and Western Cape on-site response.
Quote-driven, negotiated per engagement. Confirm minimum term, notice period and any hardware or porting clawback on early exit.
Sources and disclosure
Where this review’s facts come from, and how WhichVoIP gets paid – both transparent before you act on any of it.
- TRUENAV Cloud PBX pageUsed for the two-product structure (TRUEPBX + Advanced Cloud 3CX), product positioning and CTAs. Verified 18 May 2026. Open source →
- TRUENAV TRUEPBX product pageUsed for the TRUEPBX-branded proprietary hosted PBX positioning, scalability and feature claims. Open source →
- TRUENAV Advanced Cloud 3CX pageUsed for the concurrent-call licensing model, CRM integration claims and the embedded customer-review widget showing 4.8-star rating across 114 reviews. Open source →
- 3CX pricing pageUsed for the 3CX licensing RRP benchmark (EUR, annual, by simultaneous-call tier; editions BASIC / PRO / AI). Verified at the 3cx.com pricelist 21 May 2026. Open source →
- Google Business ProfileUsed for verbatim customer-voice quotes from the Goodwood listing.
- 21 May 20263CX licensing RRP table re-verified against the live 3cx.com pricelist. The prior table carried stale USD figures and the retired “Enterprise” edition; it has been rebuilt to 3CX’s current published EUR pricelist with the BASIC / PRO / AI editions (PRO 8 SC €380, 16 SC €760, 32 SC €1,285), with indicative ZAR estimates at EUR/ZAR R19.30. No score change – the table is a 3CX-side benchmark, not TRUENAV’s own pricing.
- 18 May 2026Re-verified at primary source. TRUENAV restructured its Cloud PBX offering into TRUEPBX (new proprietary product) and Advanced Cloud 3CX (managed 3CX with concurrent-call licensing). Per-extension rates previously cited are no longer published. Added 3CX licensing RRP benchmark as the published floor for 3CX-based quotes. Score adjusted accordingly.
Disclosure: TRUENAV is a WhichVoIP sponsored partner. Sponsorship pays for a disclosed badge on our directory listings and placement priority on our quote-matching form. Sponsorship does NOT pay for editorial scoring, verdict positioning, content placement in this review, or favourable framing – sponsored reviews are scored against the same rubric and evidence bar applied to all providers. WhichVoIP may also receive a referral fee or quote preference when you request quotes through our platform. All published rates verified at primary source on the “Last verified” date. Read our full editorial policy and scoring methodology.
How this score should be read
Scores are editorial guides, not guarantees. They combine published pricing signals, service fit, feature depth, support and reliability indicators, public customer signal and South African procurement checks. Sponsored status is disclosed separately and does not change the score.
- 25%Pricing value, including commercial transparency, contract flexibility and quote-process friction.
- 25%Feature set, including PBX surface, integrations and admin usability.
- 20%Public customer signal, treated as directional rather than definitive.
- 30%Reliability, support, local buyer checks and implementation risk.
FAQ
Short answers for the questions buyers typically ask before requesting quotes.
What’s the difference between TRUEPBX and Advanced Cloud 3CX?
TRUEPBX is TRUENAV’s own-branded proprietary hosted PBX product, pitched as a scalable cloud alternative to on-premise hardware. Advanced Cloud 3CX is the managed 3CX deployment, which licenses on concurrent calls rather than per extension. The right choice depends on whether you prefer a TRUENAV-controlled platform or the wider 3CX ecosystem.
Why doesn’t TRUENAV publish per-extension rates anymore?
TRUENAV restructured its Cloud PBX offering during 2025 to a quote-driven commercial model with concurrent-call licensing on the 3CX side. A “Stop Paying Per Extension” blog post on truenav.com explains the rationale: concurrent-call pricing better matches actual call volume rather than headcount.
How does TRUENAV’s quote compare to 3CX’s own RRP?
3CX publishes its licensing RRP at 3cx.com (in EUR, annual, by simultaneous-call tier). A typical SMB on 3CX PRO at 16 concurrent calls pays €760/year for the licence alone before any reseller markup – roughly R14,670 at the current FX rate. Hosted-by-3CX adds another €285/year (~R5,500) at that tier. TRUENAV’s quote will include the 3CX licence cost plus managed support, VoIP trunking and onboarding, so the published 3CX RRP is the floor rather than the ceiling. Ask TRUENAV to itemise the 3CX licence line in your quote so you can compare like-for-like.
How long has TRUENAV been operating?
20 years. The company was founded as uThetha Telecoms in 2006 in Goodwood, Cape Town, and rebranded TRUENAV in 2022. Multiple customers visible on the Google Business Profile have been with the team for 10 years or more.
Is TRUENAV B-BBEE certified?
Yes. TRUENAV holds B-BBEE Level 2 certification, which is relevant for tender evaluations and procurement scoring on South African contracts.
Does TRUENAV install on-site?
Yes, for deployments in Cape Town and the Western Cape. National cloud deployments are supported, but on-site field response outside Western Cape depends on the buyer’s own IT capacity or a partner arrangement.
What customer-review signal does TRUENAV have?
4.8 stars across 114 Google reviews on the Goodwood listing as of May 2026. Multiple customer testimonials embedded on the Advanced Cloud 3CX page show 5 to 14 year client tenure, indicating consistent service delivery rather than a churned customer base.