In this update:
- 3CX version 20 updates
- V20 New Windows Softphone
- 3CX price changes 1st May 2024
- 3CX FREE and SMB
- Instances on Hosted by 3CX – upgrade by end of May
- 3CX Standard 4-SC FREE licenses
- Blog – 3CX version 20: Top 5 features you need to understand
- Grandstream GSC Mobile App
- Yealink product feature and promotions
- Jabra product range
- Demo equipment
- 3CX Technical Certifications – exams available but resets to come!
- 3CX partnership – not a partner yet? Come and join us!
- Case studies – stories sell products!
- Join our LinkedIn UC community to see news first
3CX version 20 updates
- Active calls window.
- Configure presence for Bridges.
- Configure multiple Fax numbers that can route to different email addresses.
- SRTP option per extension.
- TLS for Generic SIP Trunks – upload a certificate and configure TLS on generic trunks.
- 50% faster backup and restore ie faster failover.
- Exceptions to your office the OOO but not for you (OOO = Out Of Office).
- Integration with Pipedrive CRM.
See the full blog and link to the changelog here.
Key reminders before upgrading to version 20 – if you do nothing else, please ensure that you read these two very important blogs:
- Version 20 Launch Blog – this has a key summary of what the significant changes have been and a few peeks at the future. A roadmap is due to be released at some point soon as well.
- Upgrade checklist & FAQ Blog – this was released in early January 2024 to cover all the important steps you must do before proceeding with an upgrade. Remember you’re moving from Debian 10 through to Debian 12 and there is no roll back from the upgrade!
To reiterate, there are currently two editions of 3CX considered as their current product – version 20 and version 18 update 9. In due course 3CX will announce the deprecation plan for version 18.
If you haven’t been testing version 20 already, we’d highly recommend you use your NFR license for a test system and become familiar with the changes. If you need technical help reach out via ucsupport@bluechipit.co.nz or if you just need some advice on planning your customer migrations, you can reach us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz.
V20 New Windows Softphone
The new Windows Softphone for version 20 is progressing with a new beta being released on the 17th April. As v20 and the Windows Softphone is now live, to access the beta you need to read the blog here and then complete the form that is linked near the bottom. There are some exciting updates in the beta which include:
- The Receptionist View returns – view all those calls!
- Queue Manager View – perfect for queue managers to monitor what is happening in real time.
- Specific Queue View – manage the queues agents and view key statistics.
- Drag and Drop that call – the most loved feature of the legacy softphone app is back in the modern app! We know you’ll love to test this out again.
There have been other minor tweaks and fixes as well. Check it out and take it for a test drive today. Any queries? Reach us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz.
3CX price changes 1st May 2024
3CX announced at the end of March that price increases of 10-20% were coming from 1st May – they have now released their new 1st May 2024 pricing schedule. The average price increase across all licenses is 16% with variations at an individual license level.
We will release new pricelists for 1st May based off their pricing – if you need pricing in advance, please reach out to Megan Twentyman who can assist with what the new NZD will be. There is a simple formula we use to calculate the pricing:
- USD retail divided by exchange rate = NZD exclusive of GST pricing.
- Partner margins are then taken off and discounts are as per the 3CX Partner Programme.
To give price certainty for each month, Bluechip Infotech NZ sets the following months exchange rate just prior to the month and holds it for the full calendar month. For April we are working on a 0.58 exchange rate against the USD.
3CX FREE and SMB
3CX’s newer license model of licensing and hosting all-in-one has had some recent changes as well. To avoid confusion, this is the set extensions of 10 or 20 – we had three products and now have just two:
- 3CX FREE 10
- 3CX SMB 20
The 3CX SMB 20 has had a price adjustment to sit between what was a paid 10-extension and 20-extension options previously. The USD retail is $195 so NZ excl is $336.21 excl per annum.
Both editions can now have up to 6-SIP lines vs the previous 1-SIP line. Please note that these editions have a different SIP configuration and only certain interop SIP providers can offer this service – in NZ we’d recommend you contact UFONE for your SIP with these solutions. The FREE 10 is still restricted to 3 IP deskphones and has less features than the paid SMB 20 option. You can see a full comparison at this link.
To avoid confusion, these products started life as StartUP this is not the end-of-life 3CX Standard 4-SC FREE editions. If you have questions, please reach out to us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz so we can assist further.
Instances on Hosted by 3CX – upgrade by end of May
3CX has announced that customers with instances hosted on their Hosted by 3CX service need to upgrade to version 20 before the end of May. They announced this via e-mail with a 6-week window to prepare. It’s imperative you set a System Owner on each instance now – don’t get caught out and locked out of the instance. I’d suggest looking to move your customers by mid-May so you’re not cutting it too fine – remember to read the upgrade checklist and ensure you’re ready to make the move, success is in the planning!
3CX Standard 4-SC FREE licenses
As 3CX has been indicating for quite some time now, the 3CX Standard 4-SC or original FREE licenses are in their end-of-life phase. If the license is registered correctly and on a current build that can connect to the Activation Server (version 18 update 8b or update 9), it should now be showing an expiry of early July 2024.
IMPORTANT: There will be a final extension until the end of 2024 closer to the July expiry date – the requirement is that all licenses are upgraded to version 20 before then and registered correctly in the end customers domain e-mail.
It is imperative that you work with your customers this year to decide on a transition plan for them. There are two key options:
- Staying with the dedicated license, you can upgrade to a paid Pro 4-SC license, and no re-configuration is required.
- You can move your customers to the new per-extension FREE license from 3CX. This requires a new deployment from scratch; you cannot convert from their current to this license. There are restrictions with the license of 6 SIP trunks and a maximum of 3 IP phones. You must also use a very specific SIP provider for this service. In NZ, UFONE can offer this option to you.
We are more than happy to discuss with you the options and offer guidance – reach out to us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz if you need help.
Blog – 3CX version 20: Top 5 features you need to understand
With all the talk of version 20, Asel Opata our UC Sales Engineer took a deeper look at key things you need to know before making the move. In this blog he covers key changes and new options to know about:
- Merging of the Management Console and Admin Console.
- Introduction of the powerful departments.
- Introduction of 2FA.
- Introduction of the VoIP Quality Monitor.
- Introduction of the new Windows Softphone app.
You can read the full blog at this link which also includes a short video.
Now is the time to be testing v20 out for yourselves as you start to prepare to look at migrating customers in the coming months. After reading the blog if you have questions, reach out to Asel as he’d be happy to assist further.
Grandstream GSC Mobile App
Grandstream’s SIP speakers are particularly popular in retail and school environments – being able to rapidly broadcast messages is essential for many customers. Grandstream has a range of 1-way and 2-way models. They’ve now released a mobile app for both Android and iOS to easily manage the devices. You can view the user guide at this link and access the app from the relevant stores.
Do you have the need for an excellent SIP speaker? Reach out to us to borrow our demo units – uc@bluechipit.co.nz.
Yealink product feature and promotions
Yealinks video conferencing portfolio continues to expand with new products with advanced features coming soon. The new MVC S40 is a Windows IoT based solution for small to medium sized rooms. We can’t wait to take it for a test drive ourselves – the demos that we’ve seen are exceptional and you’ve got to agree that meeting bar is a good-looking sleek design!
Yealink has a fantastic resource that helps with designing a room. Their Room Configurator tool is within their Support Pages and has you covered for designing a space. (Note you do require a login to their support pages but it’s simple to sign up.) We’d still recommend you have a conversation with us so we can help in the scoping of projects but if you want to get started in advance, you can access it easily. Our expertise comes into play to avoid the “gotchas” that can crop up. If you’d like assistance, reach out to us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz.
Great news – the Q1 promotions have been so popular that they’ve been extended for Q2. See the full brochure at this link. The requirement for meeting rooms to be fitted out is increasing and Yealink has a solution for all spaces. The Android meeting room range covers small to large spaces:
- A10, A20 and A30 MeetingBar bundles with the CTP18 and WPP30 have been priced to include the WPP30 for FREE. The 65? all-in-one collaboration MeetingBoard’s also come with a FREE WPP30 wireless content sharing dongle! We have the A10 and A20 in our demo stock for you to take for a test drive or come and visit our new office in Ellerslie and check out the A20 or the 65? MeetingBoard in action. We also have a MVC windows system you can check out as well! If you would like to know more reach out to us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz.
- MTR Deal registration – contact uc@bluechipit.co.nz for assistance with any MTR opportunity. Deal register an opportunity receive a $20 Uber Eats Voucher, close the deal by 30th June 2024 and receive a further $30 Uber Eats Voucher.
- NFR’s – contact Megan Twentyman if you’d like to equip yourselves with NFR’s of any Yealink gear so you can show it to customers. Special pricing will apply as will limits on units.
- Yealink Microsoft Certifications – complete any of these and tag Bluechip Infotech NZ on LinkedIn to receive a spot prize!
Jabra product range
As IT professionals we clearly understand that there is a key difference between consumer and commercial products. There is a trend in the workforce now, where users would prefer an in-ear bud style of headset – not just young people, all staff are used to these in their everyday life. As more and more people get used to using popular units like Apple’s AirPods the requests in the workforce will increase. Why should you consider a commercial option for employees like the Jabra Evolve2 Buds? Simple – they’re designed for business, active noise-cancellation, hear-through technology, and quality come into play. The Evolve2 Buds have a USB-A or USB-C dongle to increase the quality with your laptop and make your remote meetings, webinars and professional life easier. Better yet you can pair them with up to 8 devices.
If you’d like to know more – get in touch with us via uc@bluechipit.co.nz and we can provide more information.
Jabra have you covered for all requirements from wired; Bluetooth wireless; and DECT wireless options. We have the Evolve, Evolve2, Biz, Pro, and Engage headset ranges. Want to know more or have an opportunity we can help with? Reach out to us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz.
Demo equipment
Here at Bluechip Infotech New Zealand, we hold a demo pool of Yealink, Grandstream, Jabra and Fanvil products which are available to borrow. Having just moved offices, it’s been great having the space to display a small portion of our demo stock. We have IP phones, DECT phones, headsets, WiFi Access Points, facility access and more available to borrow and test. It’s a great way to be able to test out units and see if they meet the needs of your clients. A great way to evaluate new offerings ahead of purchase. If you’d like to borrow anything, please reach out to Megan Twentyman our BDM – UC in the first instance.
3CX Technical Certifications – exams available but resets to come!
The 3CX Basic and Advanced certifications have been updated for version 20! We’re just waiting on the last piece of the puzzle from 3CX which is for them to reset everyone’s certification levels so that you can prepare and take the new exams. If you can’t wait and are happy to create a new account with a different e-mail address you can sit the new exams now but it won’t be long and you’ll be able to do it under your existing 3CX account and e-mail address.
For now, you can start preparing by visiting the Academy landing page and the Basic and Advanced pages. There are links to all the relevant guides. The current exams are accessible from your Partner Portal and/or your own personal login to the portal. It is highly encouraged that all 3CX Partners have at least one staff member fully technical certified. The 3CX training preparation pages on their website are updated and you can access these at:
We are planning training for 2024 and will advise dates of in person and online as soon as we have the green light from 3CX! We’re inching closer and not much longer to wait!
3CX partnership – not a partner yet? Come and join us!
If you’re not a 3CX partner, now is a great time to explore how effective the 3CX IP PBX unified communication platform is. We’re sure it will fit several of your client’s requirements – with options for Cloud hosted / on-prem and Linux / Windows installations, it’s highly flexible. 3CX has recently updated its website, but a great overview is straight on their landing page at 3cx.com. To chat about becoming a partner and what 3CX’s expectations are, please reach out to our UC BDM Megan Twentyman. Or, if you’re ready to sign up – use this specific link. Bluechip Infotech New Zealand will help speed up your application.
Case studies – stories sell products!
We value the opportunity to work with you to produce case studies on success stories with our UC brands. If you have a good story to share, please reach out to us on uc@bluechipit.co.nz and we can work with you. Case studies help sell the products to another customer. Grandstream have an incentive for GWN case studies but for case studies that we produce we’re happy to shout your team a pizza lunch. Get in touch so we can help you grow through sharing successes.
Join our LinkedIn UC community to see news first
Our “Bluechip UC Community” group has been created so our customers quickly get all the latest news. We post regularly and welcome new members to the group. Keep up to date with upcoming Bluechip Infotech New Zealand events, UC-related updates and any other general UC news. Join the LinkedIn group here.
