In this update:
- 3CX version 18 – Alpha 3, new Video Conferencing features
- Bite Size Webinar – 3CX trial licenses + Proof of Concept upgrades
- 3CX Intermediate Technical Certification training
- 3CX’s Android and iOS apps’ Beta releases
- Demo Days are coming
- Latest 3CX tips, tricks, and blogs
- Grandstream GRP Buyer’s Guide
- Grandstream ex-demo and EOL clearance
- Case studies – local stories to share?
- Marketing materials
- Firmware for IP phones
- Join our LinkedIn VoIP community
3CX version 18 – Alpha 3, new Video Conferencing features
Version 18 continues to edge closer with the release of Alpha 3. The focus of this Alpha release is further fixes and added templates. Other tweaks include Microsoft 365 integration for all editions, Split DNS for on-premise installs and more. Read more here. Another key change in version 18 is the video conferencing ability (formerly WebMeeting). It’s had a complete re-design, with a focus on new features and data privacy. To read the details and see the transition plan between WebMeeting (version 16) and Video Conferencing (version 18 Alpha 3) visit this link. Please remember that Alpha releases are not recommended for production systems but are designed for testing on inhouse demo systems. Have feedback on the Alpha release’s new features? Let us know at voip@sofsol.co.nz.
Bite Size Webinar – 3CX trial licenses + Proof of Concept upgrades
Join Megan Twentyman, Brand Manager, tomorrow (Wednesday 28th) at 12pm to walk through best practice around 3CX Trial Licenses. Learn to give your customer a complete trial of the Professional or Enterprise Editions. Register here.
3CX Intermediate Technical Certification training
We have two in-person 3CX Intermediate Technical Certifications coming up this quarter.
- Auckland – Tuesday 18th May 8.45am to 1.30pm. Register here.
- Wellington – Tuesday 15th June 8.45am to 1.30pm. Register here.
The trainings will be led by Kenny Cheung, Technical Specialist. It is a pre-requisite that attendees hold the Basic Certification. The Basic Training materials can be found on the 3CX website here. Technical certifications belong to an individual and each person is required to have their own 3CX login. You can register for your individual account here. Once you have an account, please ensure you link it to your company via the Partner Portal on the “Users” menu.
We are planning further trainings for both Intermediate and Advanced Technical Certifications around the country. More details will be made available in the coming weeks. If you have any queries, please reach out to voip@sofsol.co.nz.
3CX’s Android and iOS apps’ Beta releases
The Android and iOS apps are constantly being developed by 3CX to deliver an even better user experience. The latest Beta updates for both Android and iOS are available for testing now. Read more about Android here and iOS here.
Demo Days are coming
Soft Solutions is running a series of in person Demo Day events through May and June. Each event will include presentations around 3CX and Grandstream, along with StorageCraft and WatchGuard. It’s a great time to engage with our Soft Solutions teams. Save the dates for:
- Napier – Wednesday 12th May
- Palmerston North – Thursday 13th May
- Auckland North – Wednesday 2nd June
- Auckland South – Thursday 3rd June
- Wellington – Tuesday 15th June
- Nelson – Wednesday 16th June
- Christchurch – Thursday 17th June
Watch your e-mail for your invitation to register for each event. They’ll also feature in the “Events” section of our Weekly newsletter.
Latest 3CX tips, tricks, and blogs
3CX’s constant innovation and improvement on existing parts of their IP PBX solution is a key strength of their technology. Check out the latest updates and improvements below:
- Web Conferencing blog series – in this series of blogs the 3CX team focus on web conferencing video quality. You’re sure to pick up some tips and tricks by clicking below
- Digital.com’s 2021 Awards – 3CX has been recognised as the “Best VoIP Phone Services” provider and for having the “Best Web Conferencing Software”. Read the press release here.
Grandstream GRP Buyer’s Guide
Grandstream’s new GRP phones are gaining a strong following from our customers. They feature a sleek design across the range, updated chipset, easy provisioning through GDMS.Cloud, and unified firmware for each group of phones within the range. Grandstream has just released a Buyer’s Guide which can be viewed here. Do you want to know more or keen to try out a phone for yourself? Contact our team (voip@sofsol.co.nz) to arrange a demo.
Grandstream ex-demo and EOL clearance
If you ever need to test a phone, we operate a pool of demo units. Contact us for more information on voip@sofsol.co.nz. As we refresh our stock, we have ex-demo units available to purchase at a reduced cost. All units are checked by our team and factory re-set, boxes are intact but open. Soft Solutions will honour a 1-year warranty from date of sale. We are also clearing our GXP17XX series inventory as it starts to go EOL – these are excellent units including a desktop Wi-Fi option. At present we have the following available:
- Ex-demo units – sold at half of the normal reseller purchase price:
- 1 x GDS3710 Video Door System – $237.89 excl.
- 1 x GWN7000 Multi-WAN Gigabit VPN Router – $79.33 excl.
- 1 x GXP1625 HD IP Phone 2-line PoE – $27.30 excl.
- 1 x GXP1760 HD IP Phone 6-line PoE – $39.00 excl.
- 1 x GXP1760W HD IP Phone 6-line PoE WiFi – $51.50 excl.
- 1 x GXP2135 HD IP Phone 2.8″ Colour Screen 8-line PoE – $55.60 excl.
- Clearance units going EOL, reseller purchase reduced:
- 6 x GXP1760 HD IP Phone 6-line PoE – $78.00 excl.
- 7 X GXP1760W HD IP Phone 6-line PoE WiFi – $103.00 excl.
- 19 x GXP1782 HD IP Phone 8-line Gigabit PoE – $84.00 excl.
Please contact voip@sofsol.co.nz if you are interested in purchasing any of these units.
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
Several 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 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. If you are 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.
