Monday, December 19, 2011

3CX Release Service Pack 5

3CX recently announced Service Pack 5 for 3CX Phone System 10. It has several bug fixes that focus on 3CX Wallboard issues and it also introduces a new feature where you can hide caller ID information for external calls in 3CX MyPhone (Incoming and Outgoing). Calls made or received from these extensions will show ‘Private Number’ on other users’ 3CX MyPhone instances. The update is easily installed from your 3CX Management Console 3CX Phone System Updates node.

Here's a full list of the changes:

New: The ability to hide caller ID information for external calls in 3CX MyPhone (Incoming and Outgoing). Calls made or received from these extensions will show ‘Private Number’ on other users’ 3CX MyPhone. To enable this feature, click on Extensions, Edit extensions, Options, and enable the option “Hide CID Information in 3CX MyPhone”

Fixed: 3CX Wallboard – Abandoned call statistics now show total abandoned/failed queue calls.
Fixed: 3CX Wallboard – Callback calls were not added to total calls. Failed callbacks were not adding up properly.
Fixed: 3CX Wallboard – Windows firewall exception for Abyss installations was not implemented (port 4516 TCP) – requires full installation. (You can do this manually from Control Panel/Windows Firewall/Allowed programs/Add port 4516 TCP.
Fixed: Statistics were not being displayed in 3CX Wallboard.
Fixed: Call Reporter – Call records for the Russian timezone are now displayed correctly
Fixed: Issue in 3CX Updater not able to update because of zlib1.dll
Fixed: Validation in Dial Codes page – Dial Codes cannot contain the # sign. Only * and numbers are allowed. Dial codes have to be unique.
Fixed: Desktop components installation clean-up of My Documents folder on un-installation.
Fixed: 3CX MyPhone – Sometimes agents in queues were being displayed with incorrect logged in or logged out status.
Fixed: Answered calls in 3CX MyPhone Queues Tab were not counted correctly for certain calls.
Fixed: Missed, dialed and received calls in the 3CX MyPhone Call History tab were displayed with incorrect time details.
Fixed: Bug in Caller ID for external calls via VoIP Provider/PSTN Gateways that forward to an internal extension with ‘Ring My Mobile Simultaneously’.
Fixed: Variables in outbound parameters for $OutboundCallerID and $OriginatorCallerID are now respected in ‘Ring my Mobile’ calls and ‘Rebound’ calls
Fixed: Select a multiple number of extensions and apply BLF key configurations to all selected extensions. Respective provisioning files are now updated.

Improved: Cisco SPA phone provisioning template – Set “Referrer Bye Delay” = 0. After a failed blind transfer, the first 4 seconds of audio were missing and after a successful blind transfer, the transferrer remained connected for 4 seconds.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

3CX Named a 2011 CRN Emerging Technology Vendor

3CX, the international telecommunications company who develops Windows-based PBX software, has announced its selection as a 2011 CRN Emerging Technology Vendor. The annual list features the most innovative vendors who not only deliver technology that is easy to use, but can generate the high margins solution providers require. 3CX has been added to the list due to its product, 3CX Phone System.

3CX Phone System for Windows drew praise for providing a high-value, low-cost VoIP IP PBX that’s software-based and provides unified communications. It uses the Open SIP Standard, meaning that 3CX Phone System is easy to manage and works with any SIP IP phones. 3CX runs on a standard Windows computer and can be virtualized. It is much cheaper to purchase and scale when compared with proprietary phone systems. For instance, adds and moves can be done in seconds with the 3CX web interface. Being an IP-based PBX means that there’s no need for separate wiring as all phones use the existing computer network.

Businesses also save money with 3CX on their telephone administration costs, as it works with leading VoIP providers and allows users to make and receive calls via Skype. It improves employees’ productivity with desktop call control presence. 3CX delivers mobility to employees by allowing them to work from home via remote extensions.

The 3CX Channel Program is open to all IT and telecoms solutions providers and gives an excellent opportunity for resellers to leverage their Windows skills so as to tap into a completely new market. 3CX Partners generate profitable recurring income as they resell 3CX products and their own services to existing customers, whilst also targeting new customers. The roll-out involves software / hardware sales and provides the opportunity for consultancy.

Benefits of the 3CX Partner Program include access to free products and technology. Numerous free partner training events held worldwide each year and direct access to the 3CX Support Team assists 3CX Partners so that they can, in turn, assist their customers.

“Enabling customers with the tools and strategies to solve real business problems has always been a priority to solution providers. The market has grown increasingly competitive over the years; so too has the demand for innovative, channel-friendly technologies.” said Kelley Damore, VP, Editorial Director, Everything Channel. “From the cloud to semantic technology, this year’s list of Emerging Technology Vendors highlights the emphasis on innovation and ease of use that has been the hallmark of any successful channel offering.”

“We are proud to have been included in this year’s CRN Emerging Technology Vendor list. 3CX continues to lead the market for Windows based IP PBX solutions. Companies are switching to 3CX Phone System as it allows them to make huge savings on their monthly telecoms bills and provides rich features,” said Nick Galea, 3CX CEO. “3CX is a 100% channel company, providing an excellent opportunity for IT specialists to resell a high-value, low-cost PBX solution, as well as bundle in hardware and consultancy services to their existing and new customers. 3CX provides all the tools needed for our channel partners to be successful.”

Monday, May 16, 2011

3CX and Grandstream Announce Strategic Partnership

Tighter Integration Between Products to Deliver Best in Class SME Phone System

3CX, the international developer of the award-winning 3CX Phone System for Windows and Grandstream, a leading designer and manufacturer of next generation IP Voice and Video products for broadband networks, announced today a strategic partnership. Under the terms of the agreement, 3CX will become one of the preferred PBX partners of Grandstream, and 3CX will fully certify and integrate Grandstream’s broad portfolio of IP phones, gateways and multimedia phones, allowing for customers to easily provision and manage Grandstream phones from the 3CX Management console. With the integration, initial configuration and setup of a complete phone system will be much easier and ongoing management will be reduced. 3CX and Grandstream will also commit to advanced feature development and providing end-to-end support to customers, giving companies peace of mind that the complete solution is supported by both companies.

“We are pleased to establish a partnership with 3CX to promote the combination of the market leading software-based 3CX Phone System and the award-winning Grandstream IP phones and multimedia phones. This best-in-class product combination creates an excellent value and innovative solution for the SME market,” said David Li, CEO of Grandstream Networks.

“The combined 3CX & Grandstream solution is very easy to install and manage for customers, and is a great replacement for outdated proprietary phone systems. Because both products are standards-based, customers do not get tied in with one particular vendor and companies can buy best of breed, with full confidence in the complete solution,” said Nick Galea, CEO at 3CX.

The partnership has already resulted in benefits for customers and resellers: 3CX has shipped enhanced Grandstream phone support in Service Pack 4 of 3CX Phone System 9. It is now possible to provision and manage Grandstream phones from the 3CX management console, including the ability to upgrade the firmware network wide via the 3CX management console.

Grandstream has also launched a special reseller program which allows resellers and distributors to get rebates for selling Grandstream phones with 3CX solutions. 3CX was hereby one of the first suppliers to sign on with Grandstream’s reseller program as a result of the completion of extensive testing and 3CX getting full certification to Grandstream’s entire endpoints product line. More information can be found here.

About 3CX

3CX is the developer of 3CX Phone System – an open standard unified communications platform for Windows that works with standard SIP phones and replaces a proprietary PBX. 3CX is more manageable and can deliver substantial cost savings besides increasing productivity. 3CX Phone System has earned numerous awards; Windows Server Certification, Windowsnetworking.com Gold Award, Windows IT Pro magazine 2008 and a Best Buy Award by Computer Shopper Magazine. For more information visit: http://www.3cx.com.

About Grandstream

Grandstream Networks is an award-winning designer and manufacturer of next generation IP voice & video products for broadband networks. Grandstream’s products deliver superb sound and picture quality, rich telephony features, full compliance with industry standards, and broad interoperability with most service providers and 3rd party SIP based VoIP products. Grandstream is consistently recognized in the VoIP industry for their innovation, affordability and superior value in their products. Grandstream Networks is a private company headquartered in Brookline, MA with offices in Los Angeles, Dallas and China. For more information, please visit www.grandstream.com.

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

3CX Releases Version 10 BETA!

3CX, the company behind the IP 3CX Phone System, have announced BETA of their new version 10 PBX. Version 10 is a major release, using Silverlight for the user portal, 3CX MyPhone, for the first time. MyPhone repalces the 3CX Assistant and the old 3CX MyPhone portal as everything has been grouped together in one easy to use portal.

The new 3CX MyPhone is web based, but users can also install MyPhone as a desktop app (it will also run on Macs) and according to 3CX, in this mode it uses the browser in the background but allows the user to resize 3CX MyPhone to their preference, as well as launch it automatically.

It's well worth taking a look, especially with the following features:

  • Notification to Windows Event log, 3CX Event Log and optionally by e-mail on key events

  • PnP support for 3CXPhone for iPhone, Android and Windows, Grandstream Executive GXP-21xx and Yealink phones. This means that you can just plug in the phone, assign extension in the management console and the phone will be automatically configured. This eliminates the need to specify the provisioning URL in the phone or via DHCP option 66.

  • Complete support for the new Grandstream GXP-1450, GXP 2100, GXP 2110 and GXP 2120 phones. Requires firmware v. 1.0.1.56 and up. Note that these phones are still in BETA

  • Support for the Grandstream GXP 3140, GXP 3175 video phones

  • Support for the Yealink VP 2009 video phones

  • Ability to black list IPs

  • Ability to block extensions being registered from outside the network

  • You can configure that particular extensions can not be used outside of the local network

  • Ability to limit extensions registering externally to use tunnel

  • Native 64 bit version (not available in beta)

  • Ability to record prompts via the phone – simply click on prompt, enter extension name and record prompt

  • Reduced memory footprint and elimination of extra service

  • Specify extension group in outbound rules to easily create Class of Service rules


There's a downloads section from 3CX where you can try out the BETA version 10.

3CX BETA Version 10 Phone System can be downloaded here. The administration manual can be found here (PDF). The 3CX MyPhone and Extension user manual is web based and can be found here while users can post any questions about the BETA here in the 3CX Phone System V10 BETA forum.

You can use this Beta V10 Demo Key to activate enterprise features: LFMD-4QDR-7OHP-ZZO2