UC Channel Update – March 2023

by | Mar 22, 2023 | 3CX, Grandstream, Latest News, UC Update, Unified Communications, Yealink

In this update:

 

  • 3CX’s Update 7 in development
  • Upcoming 3CX webinars
  • 3CX FREE licensing
  • Router phones for 3CX SBC updated
  • 3CX – MS Teams Direct Routing is here to stay!
  • Yealink Microsoft Teams Rooms systems in Newmarket
  • Latest blogs from 3CX
  • Grandstream’s GWN product range
  • Yealink promotions
  • 3CX partnership – not a partner yet? Come and join us!
  • Demo equipment
  • Join our LinkedIn UC community to see news first

 

3CX’s Update 7 in development

 

Update 7 is already at Release Candidate 2 for dedicated 3CX v18 instances. 3CX indicated that they have a very busy development schedule for 2023, and more are already on the roadmap. Update 7 focuses on provisioning methods and a new deployment server. It adds options for provisioning via the Admin Panel in the WebClient as follows:

 

  • Manual configuration can now be done.
  • RPS mass provisioning – this is a much-wanted option. Instead of needing an extension and pin number, now you add the MAC address and connect within 14 days.
  • DECT configuration – configure the base station (behind an SBC or SBC router phone if in the cloud) and assign handsets to users from the user’s tab.

 

A new Public Generic SMS/MMS API has been added to allow third parties to develop and support SMS on 3CX – when there are any new developments for NZ, we’ll update you! The other key enhancement is how you deploy 3CX from update 7 onwards. 3CX has worked to simplify this entire process with a new 3cx.com/install/ website link. For self-hosted, you’ll be able to deploy from marketplaces as well. Read each of the blogs, so you don’t miss vital information at these links:

 

 

Many of these update 7 enhancements also apply to the new StartUP products from 3CX. See this blog which specifically looks at this from the StartUP perspective. You’ll note that StartUP FREE now allows IP phones to be connected.

 

Upcoming 3CX webinars

 

Thursday 23rd March is a busy day for 3CX webinars – Soft Solutions is hosting one in the morning and 3CX in the afternoon (different topics!). Details and registration links are:

 

  • Soft Solutions Hosted 3CX Webinar – Licensing update + Update 7 Release Candidate
    • 11.30am Thursday 23rd March
    • Join Megan Twentyman, BDM Unified Communications, to look at the latest licensing updates from 3CX. This includes further clarifications around FREE licenses for both Dedicated instances and StartUP. We’ll also take a look at the upcoming changes in update 7 which is currently in Release Candidate. We’ll end the session with a Q&A.
    • Register here
  • 3CX Hosted Webinar – StartUP
    • 4pm Thursday 23rd March
    • Join Sebastian Havvas, Senior Account Manager ANZ, to look at StartUP and how it’s a great option for your small customers up to 20 extensions. Simpler than ever, set up in seconds and cost-effective. (NB: Specific SIP trunks are required).
    • Register here

 

3CX FREE licensing

 

The updates on the FREE licensing options are continuing to evolve with two announcements recently. We’ll be covering this in our webinar tomorrow as well but the key things to be aware of are:

 

  • There are two types of 3CX licenses:
    • StartUP which is licensing and cloud hosting all in one.
    • Dedicated Pro or Enterprise which is the traditional licenses we’re used to.
      • NB: You can add Hosted by 3CX to the Dedicated licenses and it’s highly recommended for 4-SC to 32-SC licenses.
  • StartUP FREE – up to 10 users, license and hosting for free. This is the NEW FREE offering from 3CX moving forward.

 

Dedicated FREE 4-SC – previously known as Standard 4-SC

So, what happens to those already on Dedicated FREE licenses? Well that does depend on when their license was created. Here’s a rundown:

FREE subscriptions created prior to 1st Jan 2023:

 

  • These currently expire on 30th June 2023 or a date up to early September 2023.
  • They will remain FREE until 31st December 2024 as long as the following rules are followed:
    • One 4 SC FREE subscription per customer account.
    • Each 4 SC FREE must be registered with a unique email.
    • The 4 SC FREE and the Customer Account must have the same email address.
    • Accounts with more than 1 key must transfer ownership of the excess keys, before 30th June, 2023, to other users – who do not already have a free key – using a unique email.
  • On the 30th June 2023, if the rules are met then the licenses will roll over to an expiry date of 31st December 2023 and then again at the end of this year they’ll roll over to 31st December 2024.

 

FREE subscriptions/trials created after 1st Jan 2023:

 

  • These will be expiring 60 days after creation and at that time will de-activate.
  • The FREE 4-SC trial can and should still be created from your Partner Portal for a customer to evaluate. Hosted by 3CX is also free for the first 60 days. Best practise is to follow the POC upgrade process (download here) and have your customer test Pro or Enterprise for up to 60 days.

 

We strongly believe that a business-critical tool such as an organisation’s communications/telephony system should be on a paid license. There is no transition between StartUP or Dedicated going in either direction, so if you change, you would have to re-configure from scratch. It is clear that the Dedicated FREE license will be discontinued in time and a good pathway is to upgrade those customers to the 4-SC Pro license. There has been a delay in these going end of life by 3CX, but we recommend to keep moving your customers to a more permanent solution.

 

You can read the full blog releases and restrictions based on Partner Levels at these two 3CX posts:

 

 

Feel free to reach out to us on uc@sofsol.co.nz to discuss your individual client requirements.

 

Router phones for 3CX SBC updated

 

The SBC on board a phone – known as the “router phone” was new in update 6. Initially, there were just models from Yealink and Fanvil. New Snom models have also been added in update 7 (still in release candidate):

 

  • Yealink = T53W, T54W, T57W
  • Fanvil = V64, V65, V62, X4U-V2, X5U-V2, X6U-V2, X7-V2, X7C-V2, X210-V2 and X210i-V2
  • Snom = D862, D865

 

You can link through to the configuration guides off the main 3CX Supported IP Phone page. We have a demo T54W from Yealink available, but there is a bit of a waiting list at present – reach out to uc@sofsol.co.nz if you’d like to jump in the queue.

 

3CX – MS Teams Direct Routing is here to stay!

 

As updated last month, 3CX had previously indicated that they would be deprecating the MS Teams integration, but they have altered this decision, and it’s here to stay. This blog post looks at what will be changing in the near future. It also details 3CX’s opinion of the situations the integration would work best. More to come when this redevelopment is released into an update. Stay tuned for this one.

 

Yealink Microsoft Teams Rooms systems in Newmarket

 

We have two of our own meeting rooms in Newmarket equipped with Yealink Microsoft Teams Rooms equipment. We have one of Yealink’s fantastic all-in-one MeetingBoard 65″ in one room and a MVC640 room system in the other. We use these units constantly, and they enhance our team collaboration and customer meetings. If you’d like to come and check out one or both of these solutions, please reach out to Anisha Mohammed, and she’ll book a suitable time to walk you through the unit’s features. You can even bring your own clients to see it to help you in the sales process. If you’d like to know more about the features of the Microsoft Teams Room device, reach out to anisha@sofsol.co.nz. Or, if you’d like to borrow a demo unit of Yealink meeting room solutions, reach out to Megan Twentyman to see what can be arranged.

 

Latest blogs from 3CX

 

3CX continues to add to its extensive blog posts. Check out these blogs now to stay informed:

 

  • WebHID Headset Integration – How it works – in update 6, the way that Headset integration works have changed. This blog explains why these changes were made and how it now works. Wondering why Yealink remains listed separately? That’s because they have some extra functionality in their headsets that 3CX is continuing to support.
  • 7 Unique Security Roles for Simple PBX Management – this blog gives a recap on the “roles” that were an important new feature in update 6. There is a link to the “Setup your team chapter” within the blog. This fantastic table shows what each of the seven roles can and can’t do. I’ve got it bookmarked for easy reference!
  • Update 6 – the journey to get here – check out each of the blogs that lead us to the live release on 3rd Feb NZT. There is great information in each blog article, along with release note links. It’s well worth reading each update, so you don’t miss anything:

 

Grandstream’s GWN product range

 

Release Candidate

Grandstream’s latest GWN catalogue is available to view here. This features new products already announced, including the latest WiFi Access Points, Routers and Layer 2+ Switches. You’ll also see some models to be announced from April onwards. 2023 promises to be full of announcements from Grandstream, including further enhancements to the GWN.Cloud Management platform. We have demo equipment available to loan – if you’re keen to learn more, reach out to us at uc@sofsol.co.nz.

 

Yealink promotions

 

Yealink run fantastic product promotions each quarter – Q1 is drawing to a close as are some of the promotions. You can see the full details at this link but here is a quick rundown:

 

  • Popular SIP-T43U, SIP-T46U phones are on special until 31st March 2023 – grab some stock before it’s gone!
  • MVC840 Microsoft Teams Room (MTR) system bundle specials. These bundles have been created especially in NZ with added features to a base system.
  • WH66 Dual DECT Wireless Headset Workstation with WHC60 wireless charger – almost half price while stocks last. This is a current model – and what Megan uses every day!
  • Room Panel for MS Teams – these popular panels make for easy bookings and seeing at a glance if a room is available.
  • Deal registration promotions – contact uc@sofsol.co.nz for assistance with these:
    • Headsets – deal register an opportunity for 50 wireless or 100 wired headsets and receive a $50 GiftPay voucher, close the deal by 30th June 2023 and receive a further $50 GiftPay voucher!
    • MTR – deal register an opportunity receive a $20 Uber Eats Voucher, close the deal by 30th June 2023 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 Soft Solutions on LinkedIn to receive a spot prize!

 

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. Soft Solutions will help speed up your application.

 

Demo equipment

 

Here at Soft Solutions, we hold a demo pool of Grandstream and Yealink products. This ranges from IP phones, DECT phones to headsets, WiFi Access Points and more. We loan these units out to you our valued partners. 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.

 

Join our LinkedIn UC community to see news first

 

Our “Soft Solutions NZ 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 Soft Solutions events, UC-related updates and any other general UC news. Join the LinkedIn group here.

 

The UC Team at Soft Solutions

Phone: 09 306 0450, Freephone: 0800 733 233, E-mail: uc@sofsol.co.nz.

 

Release Candidate