3CX Update 6 is now in BETA

Over the last few weeks 3CX has been rolling out updates for each element of the phone system leading up to the final update for 3CX v15.5 – Update 6.

After reading about the upcoming features and improvements that the 3CX smartphone updates were preparing for, we are excited to find out that the much awaited 3CX v15.5 update 6 is now in BETA!

A major element of this update is the addition of a web-based softphone utilising WebRTC – eliminating the hassle and time of downloading plugins and additional software. The iOS and Android apps have also had a makeover, as mentioned in previous posts about their updates. Ensure you have the latest versions of these to take advantage of the improved PUSH functionality, seeing a faster and more reliable feature, as well as the ability to receive your notifications on multiple devices.

Added Support

3CX have added new gateways and phones to the ever-growing list of supported hardware, including Grandstream FXS and FXO gateways and Avaya IP phones.

Grandstream gateways enable businesses to seamlessly create and deploy a VoIP/ analog hybrid solution, and Avaya IP Phones 9601, 9608G, 9611G, 9621G and 9641G are now available to be used with 3CX in legacy mode.

Support for leading CRM Microsoft Dynamics 365 has also been included in this update – you can read more about that on our blog here.

Other notable additions in the new 3CX BETA include:

Managing call recording is now easier with the ability to opt in and out of recording in queues
Stricter password policy, enforcing a minimum of 10 characters and use of a capital letter
Different call queues can now have their own ring tones
Customisation of your IP phone background logo

For more information, see the whole change log on the 3CX site.

Important things to note when testing the 3CX update BETA:

Your firewall configuration must be adjusted as the Audio-IDP ports have changed:
- 9000-9500 to 9000-10999
Installation of the 3CX update BETA should be installed for evaluation purposes only – backups of the BETA versions will not work.

Setting up WebRTC

WebRTC is quick and simple to set up and can be enabled directly from the 3CX management console. If you’d like to try the BETA WebRTC softphone, follow these steps:

Settings > PBX > General > Enable WebRTC softphone in Web Client (Beta)

If you try it out and you’re a fan, you can select it as your phone of choice from within the web client by clicking the phone icon in the top right and selecting 3CX Web Client as your preferred phone.

3CX have announced an upcoming BETA release of their 3CX iOS app, to be available on the Apple app store.

After the success of the Android BETA release, a new 3CX iOS client is due to be released on BETA. Similar to the Android release, the 3CX iOS BETA has added improvements to the user experience of the app. This highlights the industry-wide push from traditional telephony to much more flexible mobile-oriented telecommunications.

Like the Android release, there is now support for the OPUS codec which allows for a clearer, more natural sound. PUSH notifications for multiple devices on the one extension will also be available following the release of 3CX v15.5 SP6. Regardless of what iOS device you’re using or where you are – you’ll never have to miss a call!

There are a number of improvements that stand out to us in this upcoming 3CX iOS BETA release, our most notable including:

Faster Launch & Reconnect

Time is of the essence much of the time, and when waiting for an app to launch, seconds can feel like minutes. A faster and smoother launch removes the frustration that often occurs when all you want is to quickly make a phone call.

UI Refresh Control

Easy refresh your call history in the ‘Recents’ section by simply swiping and holding down the list, a feature often included in smart phone apps that is basically ingrained into us by now.

Minor Fixes

A number of minor fixes to the UX of the 3CX iOS app have also been made, including:

Issues relating to duration in recents
Missing “New Contact” button
Missing Presence/ Contacts search bar
Custom message being cleared when the status updates

We are very much looking forward to trying the 3CX iOS BETA when it is released, as well as all future releases. It appears that 3CX has been listening to their users in optimising their smart phone apps, ensuring everyone across all devices get the best experience from their VoIP phone system – wherever they are.

View the whole change log from 3CX.

View the user guide on installing the 3CX iOS app.