3cx free edition

[gallo]

Hi, I noticed today that my free 3cx edition 8sc turned into standard annual edition with 16sc and many other new features without any notice. Please informed me about this change and what is going to happen after the first free year with the update of the maintenance, do I remain to the free edition with the 8sc and the 95$ cost or do I have to downgrade my licence?

thnx in advance

Dimitris

 

[AH2]

Hello, Same here.

Thanks.

 

[AH2]

Hello, Same here.

Thanks.

I guess the answer it's here.
https://www.3cx.com/ordering/pricing/
No more Free Edition ?

 

[Phil_Z]

Same happened to me.
Up to 4 sim. calls it seems to be FREE (even after the 1st year).
I hope there is a way to downgrade. I even just need 4 sim. calls.

Here you go: https://www.3cx.com/ordering/pricing/

 

[sip.bg]

There will be no more Free Edition anymore.
So converting to Standard Annual license for free is a very good step.

 

[N_G]

Previously the free edition had some limitations such as a single SIP trunk. Furthermore in the second year onwards you had to pay maintenance. Now in the new offer which will is available now and info to be published shortly - you get a 4 SC annual license with ALL standard features and it will be renewed free of charge every year. So effectively the 4 STD at $295 - we are now giving it away for free - including perpetual maintenance. Also, in the first year you get one year of Google Hosting (so this is high quality hosting in terms of bandwidth and availability) Of course you can use your own Google Hosting free of charge as well with your own Gmail account - provided directly by Google.

Because we consider this offer much better, and to avoid admin burden and confusion for users, support etc, we have converted all free edition licenses to this new offer.

If you do not have a free edition yet you can also start with a new license and get 16 sim calls free of charge (up to 50 extensions effectively) for one year.

 

[Phil_Z]

Hi Nick,

so am I getting this right?

The 4 SC Version now includes the standard functions and remains free even after the first year?
I just need 4 SC maximum but my 'one year free' Version seems to be 16 SC.

Is there any way to downgrade?

 

[StefanW]

give it 12 month and you are on the version you are seeking automatically, but still it will be only a std. edition... until then enjoy for free the 16sc

 

[gallo]

Nice News......

 

[us1]

Previously the free edition had some limitations such as a single SIP trunk. Furthermore in the second year onwards you had to pay maintenance. Now in the new offer which will is available now and info to be published shortly - you get a 4 SC annual license with ALL standard features and it will be renewed free of charge every year. So effectively the 4 STD at $295 - we are now giving it away for free - including perpetual maintenance. Also, in the first year you get one year of Google Hosting (so this is high quality hosting in terms of bandwidth and availability) Of course you can use your own Google Hosting free of charge as well with your own Gmail account - provided directly by Google.

Because we consider this offer much better, and to avoid admin burden and confusion for users, support etc, we have converted all free edition licenses to this new offer.

If you do not have a free edition yet you can also start with a new license and get 16 sim calls free of charge (up to 50 extensions effectively) for one year.

Sorry Nick, your attempts to pass this off as a “good thing” is pretty disingenuous. 3CX has effectively increased the cost of doing business with them by 25% by requiring people to procure the Pro version to perform tasks they could previous in Standard prior to SP3.

The standard version is effectively a glorified free edition. It really appears 3CX is intending to abandon the channel only business model and go direct. Should we expect that in SP4 or do we wait for v16 for that announcement?

 

[Marcus Kogel]

I don't get you us1. Nothing has changed in terms features in the Standard Edition. Referring to custom FQDN and SMTP Server? I'm sorry, but when you run/sell your own ones, then it is you who increases the costs and not 3CX. By the way if you had custom FQDNs in your systems already, then they remain there.

The new Free Licence provides you with good selling opportunities. Bundle the free licence with phones and your services for the most competitive price in the market - Free. You make money, we win a customer. This is really a no brainer and not some sort of sales pitch.

So it is indeed a "good thing" and not "disingenuous".

 

[jimbo59]

I agree Marcus.

 

[VoIPTools]

Personally, I never sell anything other than the Pro edition. The price isn't that much different, especially when you compare the cost of 3CX to other solutions. Everyone needs to remember that you must have the Pro edition to run the CRM plugins, or to implement Call Flow Designer applications, (and with SP3) use your own FQDN and SSL Cert, and SMTP server.

Since nobody has a crystal ball where they can be assured of the customers future needs, selling exclusively the Pro edition means you never need to have that unpleasant conversation where you have to explain to the customer "if you need that feature you have to pay more". Better to just handle that issue from the beginning.

Remember, in the overall cost of the project (hosting/server, phones, gateways, network upgrades, labor, SIP trunks, etc.) the difference in cost between Standard and Pro is almost nothing. Just sell the Pro edition and give your customers all the available features. If the customer sees the price difference as a deal breaker, then you probably don't want them for a customer anyway because you will be fighting over the bill every month.

 

[Arne Bolen]

So effectively the 4 STD at $295 - we are now giving it away for free - including perpetual maintenance.

Can a Standard Perpetual 4SC be converted to an Annual 4SC?

 

[sjp_crs]

give it 12 month and you are on the version you are seeking automatically, but still it will be only a std. edition... until then enjoy for free the 16sc

So, my originally 4SC Free license was changed to a 16 SC Standard license, and is set to expire in 2 weeks. I host my own server, so I don't need the Google hosting.

Do I just ignore the reminders to renew, and it'll revert to 4SC Standard, or is there something else I have to do ?

 

[StefanW]

Can a Standard Perpetual 4SC be converted to an Annual 4SC?

yes it can: https://www.3cx.com/phone-system/download-phone-system/
Remember, the process is irreversible.

 

[StefanW]

So, my originally 4SC Free license was changed to a 16 SC Standard license, and is set to expire in 2 weeks. I host my own server, so I don't need the Google hosting.

Do I just ignore the reminders to renew, and it'll revert to 4SC Standard, or is there something else I have to do ?

yes this will happen after the renew grace period which applies to all Annual keys. So, in 6 weeks it will move to a 4SC Std. Annual.

 

[Arne Bolen]

yes it can: https://www.3cx.com/phone-system/download-phone-system/
Remember, the process is irreversible.

I have tried that URL several times and this is the error message I get every time:
"This license key is already on the latest version"

My current license is Standard Perpetual 4SC running version 15.5.0 and I would like to change the license to Annual 4SC.

Do I have to wait until the license expires on June 20, 2018?

 

[Marcus Kogel]

Hi Arne, this offer is for perpetual licences on older versions with expired maintenance out of the grace period. As we don't provide a version upgrade anymore for perpetual licences, this form is the only way to get to the latest version inclusive switching to annual.

In your case the licence is already on 15.5, therefore it doesn't work. So for the moment keep on using your perpetual licence, let maintenance expire out of the grace period of 90 days, then switch to annual. You don't have any disadvantage from it besides no updates and webmeeting for 90 days.

 

[jimbo59]

Wouldn't it be cheaper for her to continue to pay the maintenance?