3CX v18 is nearly here
At Zen Systems, these are the things that get us excited – a 3CX major update release and all the new features it will bring to our customers! Our team of engineers has been busy testing v18 in Alpha and Beta versions, so we can give you the inside scoop on the best new features and how they will benefit your business.
Here are the best new features (so far!) in 3CX v18
1. Microsoft Teams Business Voice integration
What does this mean for you?
3CX now natively supports Microsoft Teams, so you can dial 3CX extensions and vice versa, directly from your Teams client. You can also make external calls via 3CX and leverage the low-cost or inclusive calls on your 3CX SIP trunk, a huge saving on costly MS365 calling plans. If you’ve upgraded to the v18 Beta, here’s how to configure the integration.
2. Systems installed using the 3CX ISO image will be upgraded to Debian 10 automatically.
What does this mean for you?
3CX has made it easy to upgrade to v18. When you initiate the upgrade process, it stores a backup in a secure directory, uninstalls v16, upgrades the OS to Debian 10, installs v18, and then restores the backup – how cool is that! The whole process takes about 20 minutes. And with 3CX on Debian 10 (buster), your phone system will be even more secure with improved database performance with PostgreSQL version 11.
2. Microsoft 365 user syncing is now in all editions and not just Professional licensed systems.
What does this mean for you?
Making Microsoft 365 user syncing available to everyone is an excellent decision by 3CX. It means everyone will be able to sync their Microsoft 365 users to take full advantage of the new Single Sign-On (SSO) and Audit Logging features, even with a Standard Licence. Check out our blog post for how to connect and sync your Microsoft 365 users to 3CX.
3. Single Sign-On (SSO) with Microsoft 365 and Google.
What does this mean for you?
Single Sign-On (SSO) with Microsoft 365 and Google will make it much easier for your users to securely log in to the 3CX Web Client and Management Console.
4. Audit logging is now finally available in all editions.
What does this mean for you?
3CX system admins now have a complete audit log of changes made on their system and who made the changes. You can keep audit logs for 1,3,6, or 12-months.
5. The 3CX Web Client now defaults to G711 instead of Opus.
What does this mean for you?
Setting G711 as the default codec in the Web Client is a vast improvement, as very few SIP trunk providers support Opus yet. Unfortunately, this meant external calls made with the Web Client were nearly always transcoded, causing ‘lispy’ sounds on the ends of words. With this update, the Web Client is now a total powerhouse, ensuring high quality and encrypted WebRTC calls from Chrome, Edge, or Firefox.
6. Network-based codec priority that adapts to your connection.
What does this mean for you?
Network-based codec priority is a fantastic new feature that lets you set the voice codec an extension uses based on its connected network. For example, when connected to 3G/4G on a 3CX smartphone app, you can prioritise a codec that uses less bandwidth like G729. But when connected to LAN/WiFi, set a higher quality codec like G711. Automatic codec priority will make for a much better call quality experience in different situations. To explore more about your 3CX call quality choices, read our dedicated blog post.
7. The iOS and Android Apps have both been revamped to be even faster.
8. Encrypted voice calls: SIP trunks are now autoconfigured to use secure SIP/secure RTP.
9. The ability to record only internal/external calls is now available.
10. 3CX Webmeeting is now integrated into the core system.
What does this mean for you?
All of your 3CX Webmeeting links now match your 3CX server’s address (FQDN), and all meeting data is kept entirely private as it’s stored locally, instead of being sent to 3CX’s servers.
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