VoIP Channel Update

by | Jul 27, 2022 | 3CX, Grandstream, Latest News, UC Update, Unified Communications

In this update:

  • 3CX’s latest roadmap
  • 3CX v18 update 4 is live
  • 3CX pricing and hosting changes
  • Webinar – 3CX RoadMap (Updates, Changes, StartUP, Partner Portal)
  • 3CX’s latest distinctions – 26 in total!
  • Get to know Grandstream’s GWN series WiFi access points
  • VoIP Hardware NFRs – Yealink or Grandstream
  • Yealink promotions
  • 3CX partner listings and partnership
  • 3CX technical training
  • Submit a great 3CX case study. Get pizzas for your team!
  • 3CX blogs – essential knowledge
  • Need demo equipment?
  • Firmware for IP phones
  • Join our LinkedIn VoIP community

 

3CX’s latest roadmap

Hot on the heels of update 4 for 3CX v18, the roadmap for what’s being worked on is now out. Key takeaways are below, and we’ll be covering this and more in our webinar (Thursday 28th).

  • StartUP is progressing forward and expected to be out of beta in September.
  • New terms to think of licensing – Shared or Dedicated and DIY or Hosted. So what does this mean?
    • Think of the existing licenses as “Dedicated”, think of the new StartUP as “Shared”.
    • DIY – bringing your own SIP, Hosting, etc.
    • Hosted – using 3CX Hosted services across Dedicated or Shared solutions.
  • Four main editions for sale:
    • StartUP, StartUP Pro, Pro or Enterprise
  • Two free options:
    • StartUP FREE – fully cloud hosted up to 10 users, free of charge including the hosting.
    • Dedicated FREE – was the Standard 4-SC, 2 months of free hosting with 3CX Hosted or DIY hosting – you choose.
  • Trial changes – to trial StartUP Pro, customers have to be linked to a 3CX Partner.
  • One installation/system for StartUP or Dedicated:
    • Expect “under the hood” changes during updates 4, 5 and 6 to accommodate these changes.
  • Update 5 – what to expect?
    • SMS/MMS improvements – we hope to announce a NZ service around this soon!
    • WhatsApp integration – as detailed in last months’ newsletter this is being worked on as there is now API access to WhatsApp for developers like 3CX to hook into!
    • New Live Chat User Interface coming soon.
    • Web Client update between update 5 and 6 we expect to see a revision.
  • Update 6 – what to expect?
    • StartUP/Group mode – separating users/groups and applying settings to them. An example given is when groups are in different time zones, and this will make that management a lot easier!
    • Web Client – the plan is to revamp the current call logging interface and prepare for new and improved reports in the future.
  • What is deprecated?
    • The Instance Manager – this is a major change for partners. The purpose of the Instance Manager was for monitoring and mass updates of Linux based instances. In terms of monitoring there are many solutions out in the market that do a better job and 3CX feel that they should be used. This allows 3CX to focus on what they do best – delivering more UC features to their solution. For mass updates, a new feature was introduced in update 4 to allow automatic scheduling of updates 1 month after release.
    • Mobile apps are now optimised for v18 and will no longer work with v16.

You can read the full blog here and if you have queries, reach out to us on voip@sofsol.co.nz.

3CX v18 update 4 is live

Update 4 is now live and available for you to update your customers. It introduces a new receptionist view to enable easier management of calls; better app audio quality; allows users to set their office hours within their Desktop app or WebClient; and monthly scheduling of your system updates. And of course, the usual fixes and speed improvements. Read the full details here. The update 4 is now available in your management console.

3CX pricing and hosting changes

You will have seen notifications from 3CX that changes to their pricing are coming. The good news for us in NZ is that our pricing is based off USD pricing. This means only minor changes will affect us besides the normal exchange rate fluctuations.

  • Standard licenses will no longer be able to be purchased – there will be the Dedicated 4-SC free option still. Renewals of Standard Edition will see an increase in price in August – pricing yet to be announced by 3CX. Those with Perpetual licenses can still trade-in to Annual Subscription and receive 1 year free.
  • Perpetual licenses sales have ended. There were a handful of Enterprise licenses that were able to be purchased as a perpetual license. These are no longer available.
  • Hosted by 3CX – this service launched in ANZ earlier this year. Key changes are that customers now receive 2 months for free instead of 12 months, and pricing has increased. We are awaiting updates on changes to margins around the hosted service. As a recap, Hosted by 3CX for ANZ uses Vultr based out of Australia with servers in Sydney and Melbourne.
  • StartUP sales will begin in September 2022 – margins to be confirmed for partners but we believe at this time they will follow the standard discounts from the Partner Programme. Confirmation to follow.

The full blog can be found here or reach out to us on voip@sofsol.co.nz for further clarifications.

Webinar – 3CX RoadMap (Updates, Changes, StartUP, Partner Portal)

Tomorrow, Thursday 28th July at 11.30am, we’re hosting a webinar to cover all of the big changes that are happening. It’s not too late to register here. Even if you know you can’t attend, by registering you will be sent the recording the next day. We look forward to your attendance and answering any questions that arise.

3CX’s latest distinctions – 26 in total!

3CX has bagged 26 distinctions in the latest G2 summer report! G2 is the largest software review website – see 3CX’s update here.

Get to know Grandstream’s GWN series WiFi access points

Grandstream’s access points cover a robust range of WiFi 5 and WiFi 6 options. This downloadable sales kit has excellent tools and information about each model and their specifications. All of Grandstream’s APs are managed from the GWN.Cloud allowing for easy deployment and management of units. For more information, reach out to us today at sales@sofsol.co.nz.

VoIP Hardware NFRs – Yealink or Grandstream

If you need to equip your team or office with hardware, reach out to Megan (megan@sofsol.co.nz) to find out what is available and the special pricing we can offer. Limits do apply and the NFRs must be for inhouse use and not on sold to customers.

Yealink promotions

The Q3 promotions from Yealink are now live. You can view the full flyer of promotions at this link and we highlight these in our Weekly Newsletter Promotions section each week.

  • Purchase 5 x MP54 or 5 x MP56 phones and receive a BH72 Bluetooth headset for free – special bundle SKUs apply.
  • Room Panel for Teams or Zoom – special pricing applies until 31st August on this fabulous panel to show if a room is available or not. Designed of course to integrate with your Microsoft Teams or Zoom Rooms system.
  • UH34 and UH36 USB Headset bundles – buy 5 and receive 6 – special bundle SKUs apply.
  • A30 and A20 MS Teams meeting bars with CTP18 touch panel – special pricing plus a free VCH51 sharing box – valid to 31st July, hoping it will be extended!
  • Deal registration of MTR opportunities – receive a $20 Uber Eats voucher for registering a deal and a further $30 Uber Eats voucher when you close the deal and order!
  • Yealink NFR programme – reach out to megan@sofsol.co.nz for options.
  • Yealink Academy – training for sales and technical team members. Complete a certification and share on LinkedIn, tag us in and we’ll arrange a spot prize! Get bragging rights to being one of the first in NZ to complete – will it be you?

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For any questions, reach out to our sales@sofsol.co.nz team.

3CX partner listings and partnership

3CX have made changes to the way end customers can search for a 3CX partner in their local area. If you haven’t already done so, please ensure you login to your Partner Portal and navigate to the “My Account” option, then check and update your details. Be sure to check that the “My Company” information is relevant and includes your logo. You want customers to find and select you. This is your way to stand out from the crowd! The link on the 3CX website is updated now – check it out here.

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 clients’ requirements – with options for Cloud hosted / on-prem and Linux / Windows installations, it’s highly flexible. 3CX have recently updated their website but a great overview is straight on their landing page at 3cx.com. To chat around becoming a partner and what 3CX’s expectations are, please reach out to our VoIP Brand Manager Megan Twentyman. Or if you’re ready to sign up – use this specific link. Soft Solutions will help speed up your application.

3CX technical training

We will release the Q3 training dates very soon – unfortunately our office has been hit with sickness and it has delayed Anisha completing her training. Anyone that reached out to Megan needing themselves or team members trained, will be notified as soon as we set the dates. If you have a requirement for training, please let Megan know on megan@sofsol.co.nz and she’ll notify you when bookings open.

Submit a great 3CX case study. Get pizzas for your team!

Would you like a lunch shout on Soft Solutions? We want local NZ stories of 3CX in action. We’ll get a good story out, featuring your skilful team. You can also use it for your own marketing. No story is too big or small – it’s about your customer’s success. We have a simple questionnaire you can work through with your customer. 3CX’s marketing team will then consider it. It’s a great reason to touch base with your customer and ensure their 3CX is working as it should be. You can also check if they need a larger license or extra hardware. Propose a case study for consideration and we’ll arrange a treat for your team. Reach out to our VoIP Brand Manager Megan Twentyman. We’ll make the process painless and treat your team!

3CX blogs – essential knowledge

The 3CX team continue to deliver new content, information, and updates for v18. We post links to these first, on our LinkedIn VoIP Community Group. If you’re not a member you can join here. Here’s a summary from the past month:

  • IMPORTANT – Live Chat configuration changes – 3CX dedicated (Pro or Enterprise) users can now take advantage of the updates made to Live Chat. These updates were needed for StartUP and do require re-configuration on the dedicated instances. Read the full blog for detailed advice on what needs to be done and where to find existing integrations.
  • Update 4 – ahead of the launch, which is detailed above, there was a further beta 2 revision with improvements that you can read about here including the change log. There was also the final Release Candidate a week prior to launch which also has further enhancements noted here. It is worth reading the information in conjunction with the official launch blog.
  • StartUP beta improvements – StartUP got an upgrade earlier in the month adding IVRs and call queues. Check out the full information here.
  • Don’t be “that” guy blog series – this 4-part blog series looks at the security of your 3CX system and the best practises to ensure your customers are protected. In volume 1 it drills down on why you should definitely keep complex credentials – weakness will allow entry and that’s the last thing your customers need. In volume 2 the focus is on call fraud and what a hacker is trying to achieve. There are some clear guidelines on what you should configure to protect your customers. Volume 3 looks at the top 4 PBX security tips and it’s important to check you’re following this best practise. Volume 4 is the final instalment is this series and looks at monitoring your instance and not missing alerts. These blogs are essential reading for sales and technical staff alike to ensure that best practise configuration is being followed.
Need demo equipment?

Just a reminder that we operate quite an extensive range of Grandstream and Yealink demo equipment. Borrow a device to put it through its paces, or for a client event to showcase. We also have access to EPOS-Sennheiser and Jabra headsets. If you have a requirement, please reach out to megan@sofsol.co.nz and she’ll be happy to assist.

Firmware for IP phones

Remember it is vital to keep checking for updated firmware, for your VoIP hardware. Grandstream and Yealink release new firmware as it is developed. The firmware is available free of charge from their respective websites. It does take some time for 3CX to verify new firmware so be sure to check the latest supported firmware that 3CX advises you to use. This is found on the 3CX website here. If you are ever trouble-shooting any issue with 3CX, the first thing they will check is whether your hardware has the supported firmware version. Now is a great time to ensure everything is up-to-date and working optimally.

Join our LinkedIn VoIP community

Our “Soft Solutions NZ VoIP Community” group has been created so our customers get all the latest news quickly. We post regularly and welcome new members to the group. Keep up to date with upcoming Soft Solutions events, VoIP updates and any other general VoIP news. Join the LinkedIn group here.

Thank you for reading.

The VoIP Team at Soft Solutions

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

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