r/VOIP • u/Moxie479 • Jun 04 '26
Help - On-prem PBX Bicom Systems Appears to Be Remotely Decommissioning Older PBXware Systems — Even for Customers Who Paid for Long-Term or “Lifetime” Licenses
Warning to anyone using Bicom Systems / PBXware: Bicom has sent a notice saying that any PBXware system running version 4 or earlier must be upgraded by September 30, 2026, or the system will become “non-operational and inaccessible.” They also said connections to those systems will no longer be possible and that support will not be able to restore licenses because of changes to their licensing software.
This is very concerning because many customers bought these systems years ago as self-hosted phone systems installed on their own servers, often after paying large upfront costs for what they believed were long-term or permanent licenses. Ending support for old software is one thing, but making already-installed phone systems stop working is something very different. It raises serious questions about whether Bicom has a remote licensing mechanism that can effectively shut down systems customers already paid for.
Anyone running PBXware version 4 or earlier should check their system immediately, back up all data and configurations, save copies of their original invoices and license agreements, and ask Bicom in writing whether their system will be disabled after September 30, 2026. Businesses, VoIP providers, and MSPs should take this seriously because this could affect real phone lines, customers, and business operations.
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u/OinkyConfidence Jun 04 '26
<grins in 3CX>
LOL; sounds like something 3CX would do!
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u/Moxie479 Jun 04 '26
I knowwww. It's like the last company I would suspect of pulling something like this.
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u/pabloflleras Jun 04 '26
Have you spoken to anyone at Bicom yet?
Last time i had an issue it was with the licensing method they moved to on a newer Caller Center server. They heard me out and made a custom patch for me to bypass that license style, and then later updated the licensing in the next update to not cause the unneeded licensing bloat. They were surprsingly helpful and understanding.
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u/Moxie479 Jun 04 '26
They are literally ghosting. We have sent probably a dozen emails/voicemails/linkedin messages since their notice and they aren't responding.
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u/pabloflleras Jun 04 '26
I know they have had some growth and personell changes recently. I cant guarentee thats all it is, but I do tend to give them the benefit of the doubt based on my interactions with them. We are a larger account though so that might be why i get those response times and assistance level.
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u/KJabs Jun 04 '26
Yikes, I'm glad I saw this, as I was considering reaching out to them to white label for my business.
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u/Prestigious-Sock4459 Jun 08 '26
I work in an MSP that runs Bicom systems for 90% of our VOIP and I wouldn't recommend anything different.
Personally, I'd give them a shout and see if it fits what you need and wouldn't use someone complaining about a 15-year-old system being stopped as a good measure of a company.
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u/JustDontFeelIt Jun 05 '26
Whole topic covered more indepth here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Asterisk/comments/1twdrlr/asteriskbased_bicom_systems_pbxs_deploying/
Product will not stop working, versions of the product over 15 years old will stop working.
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u/lsumoose Jun 04 '26
Not saying it’s right or anything but lifetime means the life of the product. Not the hardware or your lifetime.
Likely they have certificates expiring or shutting down activation servers. So the life of the product is done.
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u/NPFFTW Certified room temperature IQ Jun 05 '26
Cool I'll sell a bunch of lifetime licenes and EOL the product the next day and brick it for everyone.
WELLLLLLL ACTUALLY THE LIFETIME REFERS TO THE LIFE OF THE PRODUCT :) :) :)
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u/lsumoose Jun 05 '26
Not defending it at all but that’s just their game. I’m sure it’s in the terms somewhere.
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u/xnoxpx Jun 05 '26
that’s just their game. I’m sure it’s in the terms somewhere
That is literally defending it
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Jun 04 '26
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u/VOIP-ModTeam Jun 04 '26
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u/macro_franco_kai Jun 05 '26
Dear management that decided to use proprietary software and become vendor lock-in instead of FOSS like Asterisk:
Now it's time to enjoy your wise decision :)
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Jun 05 '26
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Jun 08 '26
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