In this update:
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SSL certificate changes – critical changes
Every two years Google renews their SSL certificates which affects many software applications including 3CX. The certificates are due to renew again on the 15th September 2020. To ensure no disruption to your customers’ 3CX licenses, please ensure they are on version 16 update 5. Version 16 update 4 or below will not work with the new SSL certificates, which will prevent the 3CX instance from connecting with the 3CX servers and stop the instance from working.
While there is no longer any official support for 3CX version 15.5 update 6, they are releasing a hotfix update 6a for that version. This will ensure that any instances of version 15.5 update 6a can still connect to the 3CX servers for the next 2 years. They will not renew the SSL certificates for version 15.5 in 2022. Now is the time to ensure all customer are using the current version 16 product with update 5. Updates need to be completed before the 15th September 2020.
3CX trial licenses
3CX has just made some major changes to the way trial licenses work. All trials, whether from the 3CX website or within your Partner Portal will initially be for the Standard Edition. Trials created off the 3CX website are not bound to a 3CX partner and the end customer will be directed to select a partner if they want to upgrade that license. For this reason, we urge you to create the trials from within your Partner Portal on the “Keys” menu as then the trial is bound to you. When you create the trial, you must give genuine and correct end customer details – even if you’re hosting the license. You can still get the trial upgraded to a Professional or Enterprise trial for now 60-days, but you’ll need to have the trial active/deployed and then do the following:
3CX will be monitoring the trials very closely and if partners create trials without genuine end customer details they will disable the ability to create trials moving forward. If you intend to host the license, please ensure you start the trial in the end customer name and e-mail address and then update it after the trial is completed to your details.
3CX version 16 – update 6 Beta 2
Update 6 Beta 2 is live and we are eagerly awaiting the final release due soon. A key feature we’re excited about is the long-awaited support for Debian 10 and Raspberry Pi 4. This will allow resellers to use the latest generation of Intel NUC and Raspberry Pi devices for 3CX installs and as session border controllers. To read the release notes on update 6 Beta 2 click here. Please remember that a Beta update release is not recommended for production systems and should be used only on a test system.
NZ 3CX Advanced Technical Certification training
Our 3CX Advanced Technical Certification training is fast approaching and is almost sold-out. We only have limited spots left for this training delivered online via WebMeeting. The training is on Thursday 10th September and starts at 9.30am. This session will be interactive and run by our own Matt Carey (Senior Engineer). Questions will be encouraged throughout the training as each topic is covered. To register, please visit this link. If demand continues to be high, we may split this in to two sessions to ensure that all participants get the most out of the event. It is a pre-requisite that those attending already hold their Basic & Intermediate Certifications – this can be completed online. Matt’s recordings of the Basic sessions are available in this playlist. There are a series of short videos covering each module. The Intermediate materials can be found here.
Grandstream personal collaboration range
Grandstream has recently announced the first products in a new personal collaboration range. A driving factor for the new range is our new normal, with more people working from home. The first announcements relate to new headsets coming soon to the NZ market – production is underway. There are two USB headsets in the range designed to work with computers, IP phones and other devices to offer high-quality sound. Both units feature a noise-cancelling microphone to minimise the background noise while still providing crisp HD audio and all-day comfort. The GUV3005 offers a busy light for a visible sign that a person is engaged on a call – perfect for working from home with family members around or a busy call centre. You can download the datasheet here and we’ve included images of the GUV3005. For pricing or further information, please reach out to our team sales@sofsol.co.nz.
 
Our recent webinars
Each month we host our “bite sized” webinars and store the recordings on our Soft Solutions YouTube Channel for easy access. Check out last month’s 3CX webinars below:
Latest tips and tricks
We add updates to our blog and YouTube channel regularly – this has become a great resource for our VoIP partners. It explores key features and common sales / technical queries around 3CX and Grandstream. You can also subscribe to the blog here or YouTube here:
Case studies – local stories to share?
There is nothing better than a local and relatable case study to help you get a sale across the line. We are looking for more NZ stories to have turned in to case studies. Do you have a success story to share? We have a simple questionnaire you can work through with your customer – 3CX’s marketing team does the rest. It’s a great opportunity to touch base with customers and ensure everything’s working as it should. If you have a customer that might participate, contact our VoIP Brand Manager, Megan Twentyman. We’ll make the process painless.
Marketing materials
A number of partners took up the option to have datasheets customised with their logo. This is a service that Soft Solutions offer. We even share presentations that you can adapt for your potential customers. If this is of interest, reach out to Megan Twentyman for further assistance.
Firmware for IP phones
Remember it’s vital to keep checking for updated firmware, for your VoIP hardware. Grandstream and Yealink release new firmware as it’s developed. The firmware is available free of charge from their respective websites. If you’re ever trouble-shooting any issue with 3CX, the first thing they will check is whether your hardware has the most up-to-date 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 for customers to discuss VoIP related topics. 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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