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A new version of 3CX Phone System is available in beta and what a version! 3CX Phone System v9 packs a punch with video support on 3CXphone, SLA functionality and the ability to provision 3CX Assistant and 3CXphone network-wide. 3CX Phone System users can now monitor remote PBX’s with 3CX Assistant and transfer calls between them. The call forwarding interface has been overhauled, and we introduced the concept of statuses to make it more intuitive for users to configure their away or out of office settings.

You can download 3CX Phone System v9 build 12850  here. The 3CX Assistant (with the video capable 3CXphone) is available here. Check out the administrator manual in PDF format here. We’ve moved theExtension User Manual to the web, making it much easier for users to refer to help. View it here. You an also download a beta of the 3CXphone only here.

New Features – All versions

• Video support using 3CXphone, X-lite and Yealink videophones
• G722 codec compatibility
• New inbuilt high performance web server (Abyss) which can scale to any installation size. IIS can still be used if required.
• Ability to provision 3CXPhone and 3CX Assistant  network wide
• Additional node to quickly view status of all remote extensions
• Additional status information on VoIP provider trunks and bridges
• Ability to specify a mobile number for a user
• Improved call forwarding rules design
• Improved performance of the media server
• System wide black list
• Ability to specify up to 5 music on hold files
• Ability to send a 302 diversion header to forward a call to another number.
• Ability to import only new users from Active Directory since last import

Small Business, Pro and Enterprise editions

• New SLA like parking functionality to allow for easy parking and un-parking of calls via BLF lights
• Ability to monitor remote PBX’s from 3CX Assistant
• Ability to transfer calls from one 3CX PBX to another PBX using the Multi-PBX capability of 3CX Assistant
• Point and click creation of conference calls from 3CX Assistant
• Ability to directly leave voice mails for other users from 3CX Assistant
• Ability to require a PIN to create a conference call
• Ability to rewrite caller IDs per port
• Ability to call a users mobile number directly
• Ability to hide certain extensions from the 3CX Assistant view
• Click 2 dial now calls phone in intercom mode, making call setup much faster
• Full CRM integration with Microsoft Dynamics (info to follow next week)
• Myphone portal has been improved
• Ability to customize the colors of 3CX Assistant
• Ability to define a status (Away, Out of Office, Available) with corresponding call forwarding rules
• Ability to specify more then one fax extension allowing to add fax machines using an ATA or use 3rd party outbound t38 fax software.

We look forward to hearing your feedback!

Known issues

Phone system server

• Incorrect dialog info shown on phones in queue calls
• You can not forward numbers to external numbers when logged into a queue
• Call reporter – Queue statistics are not reported correctly.
• Exception in management console when you multiple edit more than 200 extensions.
• Calls to Grandstream tones via the tunnel do not have Ringing tone
• If you disconnect a Queue call very quickly (during call setup) it might cause a stuck call

Assistant

• When switching between local and remote connections, the button takes a while to display the switch
• Outlook 2010 integration does not work on 64 bit
• Call context menu in Outlook 2010 32 bit will not show up
• Incorrect provisioning link placed in the assistant may cause the assistant to show an exception
• Queue and ring group unanswered calls are shown as missed in Assistant
• Outbound calling in multiple profiles for external calls

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The 3CX training team are back in the USA in June 2010!  We would like to invite all 3CX partners to the 3CX Partner Meetings to be held on both the East and West Coast in the US.  Both an introductory and an advanced training day are available.

3CX Partner Meeting – West Coast,  San Francisco, CA, USA

Day 1 Thursday 17^th June 2010 Introduction to 3CX Book here

Day 2 Friday 18^th June 2010 Advanced Training Workshop Book here

3CX Partner Meeting – East Coast, Iselin, NJ, USA

Day 1 Monday 21^st June 2010 Introduction to 3CX Book here

Day 2 Tuesday 22^nd June 2010 Advanced Training Workshop Book here

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These events always prove to be popular and are a great way of increasing your knowledge of 3CX. Also the technical work-group provides all the information that you will need to successfully pass your certification, details of which can be found here.

Spaces are limited and reservation is on a first come first served basis, so please do reserve your place(s) by submitting the relevant booking form.

Meeting Agenda – Day 1 – Introduction to 3CX:

• 9:00 Welcome
• 9:15 Nick Galea, CEO and Founder of 3CX presenting Version 9 and the 3CX Roadmap
• 10:15 Installing the 3CX Phone System by Kevin Attard Compagno, 3CX Community Manager
  • Supported platforms
  • Recommendations for installations
  • Setting up extensions
  • Setting up a call
  • Setting up a gateway
  • Gateways and DDI
  • Phone display configuration
  • Remote extensions
• 12:30 Lunch (provided by 3CX)
• 1:15 VoIP Providers by Kevin Attard Compagno, 3CX Community Manager
  • Concepts
  • Configurations
  • Inbound and outbound – Basic Concepts
• 2:30 Break
• 2:45 In-depth view of basic mechanisms
  • Troubleshooting – Common issues and hints
  • Other features and capabilities
• 4:00 Differences between FREE and Commercial editions
  • How to request support
  • Documentation and Blog resources
• 4:30 Q&A and wrap-up

Meeting Agenda – Day 2 -  3CX Advanced Training Workshop:

• 9:00 Start of Day 2
• Advanced IP phone Provisioning
  • Time, Time Zone, DST Settings
  • Customizing an already existing template
  • Cloning a template for particular needs
  • DHCP Server Settings & Option 66
  • If you need TFTP
• Forwarding Rules
  • Forwarding to Outside Numbers (including “rebound”)
  • Retaining Original CallerID
• 3CX Phone4 – softphone
  • LAN Config
  • WAN Config with and without tunnel
  • Issues with multiple Sound Cards (USB handset)
• External Extensions
  • Direct
  • Tunnel
• Phones not present in devices.xml and the relation to PBX delivers Audio, ReInvites and Replaces
• 3CX API’s and functionality
• Outbound rules
  • Full Blown Dial Plan
• Router Configuration
  • Port Forwarding
  • Disabling of SIP ALG / Helper
  • Static Public IP Address
  • STUN-less operation
• Non-GUI Providers
  • Difference between Registration and Trunk
  • Outbound Parameters Full Spiel
  • How to add extra templates manually
• Source ID for DID
• E164 for Outlook Dialing
• License Activation Issues
  • Change in Network Topology triggers reverting to free version
  • Routing and Remote Access – not compatible with 3CX
• Wireshark
• Logging Information
• 4:30 Q&A and wrap-up

Cancellation Policy:

This event is free to all 3CX Partners. You can cancel your booking up to five days before the event at no charge by contacting the relevant event organizer. Please have your booking reference handy.

Contact West Coast 3CX Partner Meeting Organizer.
Contact East Coast 3CX Partner Meeting Organizer.

For late cancellations and non attendance, 3CX reserves the right to invoice the Partner the sum of 50  Euros. We look forward to receiving your application and welcoming you to one of our events in June.

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This topic has been covered before – however it is worth mentioning again.  This is one of the greatest “gems” of  3CX Phone System for Windows, especially  for customers with installed MS Exchange systems.  3CX provides a more in depth look at the functionality of the two products working together here.

Per Microsoft press release:

“May 14th, 2010 RESPONSE POINT TO BE DISCONTINUED AS OF AUGUST 31, 2010

After transitioning Microsoft Response Point to engineering maintenance status a year ago, Microsoft has made the decision to discontinue the sale, support and development of the Response Point phone system for small businesses, effective August 31, 2010. Current customers will be able to continue to use their Response Point product(s) as per their equipment manufacturer purchase agreement.

Despite favorable initial response from customers and channel partners since launch, we have not seen the necessary demand materialize to sustain Response Point as a viable standalone business. To continue to support the needs of the small business community, we expect to consolidate our efforts and offerings in this space around Microsoft Office Communications Server (OCS).

In support of our partners and current customers Microsoft will continue to maintain the current web pages at www.microsoft.com/responsepoint until November 1, 2011.

For additional information please go to http://blogs.technet.com/rp/ or send an Email to rpoint@microsoft.com”

Blog Editors Note: 3CX Phone System for Windows is an excellent fit for SOHO and SMB customers. Please feel free to take a look at it today!

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Recently I had an opportunity to observe a company relocate its’ 3CX Phone System for Windows from one physical location to another.  This was actually a great experience because in a firsthand and “real world” manner, it really drove home to me another benefit of IP PBX’s.  3CX and IP PBX’s are known for mobility and enabling mobile workforces, however this is a different kind of mobility – or more accurately described as portability.  I will explain….

Having been involved in phone system moves in yesteryear, I was blown away by how much of a non-event this actually was.  In the past, we’d have to spend weeks coordinating a phone system move with the local telephone company, and the move date had to coincide with arranging the schedule of the telco technicians and an 8am-5pm work schedule.

In this particular case, we didn’t even speak to the local telco and they weren’t involved on relocation day.  The company moved to a new premise that was pre-wired with a Cat 5 cable plant (phone lines were demarked previously), so literally the phone system was moved, and the 3CX server and phones were plugged into the network.  The VoIP gateway was connected to the lines, and viola! it fired up and everything worked the first time.

In today’s Nomadic workplace – this is extremely beneficial.  As a the owner of an office building offering commercial lease space, I’ve experienced tenants that were only interested in setting up a temporary operation.  Driving their desire to do this is a business model to sales blitz the local geographic area for a a few months.  Afterward they’ll break down and head on to the next city,  dismantling their office infrastructure and setting it up again in the next location.  The ability to unplug, move and re-establish their phone system in a matter of hours (possibly minutes) is of a great benefit.  They can keep everything the same:  extension, IVR’s, queues, integration to their CRM system, and even voice mail messages.  If they are utilizing a VoIP Provider, they can do all of this at any time of the day without involving a telco at all!

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