Compare · Bicom Systems Alternative
Compare two multi-tenant communications platforms.
Bottom line
Thirdlane and Bicom Systems both address multi-tenant communications providers. The main differences are administration, module structure, APIs, deployment, support, and commercial terms.
Where Thirdlane has an advantage
- Configuration Manager provides one administrative surface across tenant, communications, CRM, messaging, and reporting workflows.
- Connect, CRM, contact center, messaging, and AI modules share one product foundation and release line.
- Published OpenAPI 3.1 specifications document supported platform and CRM objects.
- OIDC sign-in is available for Configuration Manager and Connect, with multifactor policy enforced by the identity provider.
Bicom and Thirdlane both provide multi-tenant platforms for communications providers. PBXware is a serious alternative. Where the two differ is what comes included, how daily administration works, and how the modules are licensed.
Thirdlane offers CRM, Meta API account management, contact-center and messaging workflows, configurable AI analysis, and documented REST APIs on one product foundation. Licensing and required external services are confirmed in the quote.
Platform scope and module structure
Bicom’s commercial model puts capabilities like security hardening, monitoring, gloCOM editions, and multi-tenant licensing into separate products. Thirdlane uses a more unified product foundation, while still licensing some modules separately.
Bicom: modular product family
PBXware (multi-tenant license tier) + gloCOM (Office/Business/Agent/Supervisor) + sipPROT + sipMON + sipMENTOR. Each is its own product with its own version cadence and its own license. The additional SKUs need to be accounted for in quotes, renewals, and upgrade planning.
Thirdlane: one platform, one upgrade
Configuration Manager, Connect, the integrated SBC, CRM, contact center, messaging, AI analysis, and documented APIs share one product foundation. Modules, resilience, support, and operating services are still identified separately in the quote.
Side by side
| Area | Thirdlane | Bicom Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Tenancy model | True multi-tenant on a single platform. | True multi-tenant on PBXware. Comparable architecture. |
| Telephony customization | Visual call-flow tools, configurable dialplans, and documented APIs support provider-specific services and integrations. | PBXware provides its own call-flow, dialplan, and integration capabilities; compare the required workflows directly. |
| Scaling and resilience | Add call-processing workers for capacity and choose supported standby or high-availability designs for recovery requirements. | PBXware supports multi-tenant scaling and replication; compare the proposed topology and recovery behavior directly. |
| Multi-location customers | First-class Multi-Site Enterprises model: three inter-site dialing modes, enterprise-shared trunks, per-site metrics, Organization REST API. | Multi-site supported across separate tenants linked by SIP. Less first-class “enterprise as a single object” modeling. |
| UC client | Thirdlane Connect provides calling, video, messaging, presence, and file sharing, with branding on supported surfaces. | gloCOM is Bicom’s UC client; available capabilities depend on the selected edition. |
| Product modules | CRM, AI analysis, contact center, messaging, and Connect share one product foundation but may be licensed separately. | Bicom offers a modular product family with separately selected capabilities. |
| WhatsApp Business | The licensed messaging module manages WhatsApp accounts, phone numbers, and templates through Meta’s API. | WhatsApp availability and architecture should be confirmed with Bicom for the proposed deployment. |
| CRM module | The licensed CRM module provides tenant-scoped contacts, accounts, leads, lists, tasks, activities, custom fields, CSV import, and documented APIs. | CRM integrations are available; compare first-party record and workflow requirements separately. |
| AI call analysis | Licensed post-call transcription and analysis can be configured per service after an AI provider is connected. | Confirm current native and integrated AI-analysis capabilities for the proposed Bicom products. |
| Identity and SSO (OIDC) | OIDC sign-in is available for Configuration Manager and Connect; multifactor authentication can be enforced by the identity provider. | PBXware supports SSO; compare protocols, surfaces, and identity-provider requirements directly. |
| Recording and storage | Supported recordings can use configured S3-compatible storage, including tenant-specific storage where required. | PBXware supports external recording storage; compare destinations, retention, and tenant-specific requirements directly. |
| Administration | Configuration Manager includes tenant administration, visual call-flow editing, reporting, and delegated access. | PBXware provides a mature administrative interface with a different workflow and product structure; evaluate both in a demo. |
| APIs | Published OpenAPI 3.1 specifications and an interactive REST API reference cover supported platform and CRM objects. | Bicom provides REST and telephony integration interfaces; compare object coverage for the workflow you need. |
| Product updates | Platform and module updates follow the Thirdlane release line. | Bicom products may have separate release and licensing considerations; confirm them in the proposed configuration. |
Who Bicom is for
Bicom remains a practical fit in several circumstances:
- Carriers with deep PBXware deployment history and existing Bicom certifications across the team.
- Buyers who specifically want sipPROT/sipMON in their stack and prefer the modular add-on approach.
- Customers locked into gloCOM workflows that would be costly to retrain off.
Evaluating both?
Send us your existing Bicom configuration and a list of the gloCOM editions you license. We’ll come back with a feature-by-feature mapping to Thirdlane and a per-tenant TCO that accounts for module, infrastructure, and support differences.
Already committed to switching? The migrations hub explains Thirdlane’s general inventory, parallel-platform, and staged-cutover approach.
Bicom Systems alternative — frequently asked questions
What is the best Bicom Systems (PBXware) alternative for MSPs?
Thirdlane and Bicom both address multi-tenant communications providers. Compare administration, included and optional modules, APIs, deployment, support, and commercial terms.
How does product packaging differ?
Thirdlane uses one product foundation for Connect, CRM, contact center, messaging, and AI, but modules and operating services may be licensed separately. Compare complete written quotes.
How do Thirdlane and Bicom differ?
Both products address multi-tenant communications providers. The practical differences are administration, application scope, licensed modules, APIs, deployment options, support, and commercial terms.
Does Thirdlane integrate with WhatsApp Business?
Yes. Thirdlane manages WhatsApp Business accounts, phone numbers, and templates through Meta’s API and routes supported messages through platform messaging channels.
Comparisons are based on each vendor’s public documentation and pricing pages. Last reviewed: 2026.