3CX Licensing Updates: What You Need to Know

[MiraG_3CX]

Important changes to trial keys, key replacement and hosting options.​

In line with our 2025 strategy, we’re making changes that affect the way trial keys, commercial key replacements and hosting on 4SC licenses are handled. Read on for a breakdown of what’s new.

Trial Keys Now Issued as 8SC PRO​

Trial keys are now issued as...

Continue reading the Original Blog Post.

 

[Craig Catlow]

Can you tell me the process for moving from Hosted by 3CX to Self Hosted? If we are only able to renew the license then we pay the 3CX hosting fee when it isn't required. I bought a key yesterday to replace on an AWS and now it doesn't work. Bad timing I suppose. My customer has been down for a full day now. If I renew the existing license I get charged over $1,000 as opposed to $430 for no hosting included.

 

[AWS2P]

Hello,
Are the others key level > 4SC always allowed to move from any kind of hosting like on premise/ hosted / 3cx hosted ?

 

[Peter PBX]

Can an 8SC Trial key be replaced with a purchased 4SC key?

 

[JoshWS]

Can you tell me the process for moving from Hosted by 3CX to Self Hosted? If we are only able to renew the license then we pay the 3CX hosting fee when it isn't required. I bought a key yesterday to replace on an AWS and now it doesn't work. Bad timing I suppose. My customer has been down for a full day now. If I renew the existing license I get charged over $1,000 as opposed to $430 for no hosting included.

I believe you should be able to take a back up- which will include your FQDN on V20, and then reinstall but as self hosted through AWS. This will spin up a machine on AWS and then you will have the option to restore from a back up

 

[NateDoc]

So regarding commercial keys no longer being replaced - to confirm - if we have a key that is close to expiry and we have another key on another instance that is no longer needed but was recently renewed, we cannot do that swap anymore? If so, this makes key management incredibly annoying and we lose a lot of value. Sometimes we need to change keys because client size requirements change - being able to swap keys made that easy to manage.

 

[Craig Catlow]

I believe you should be able to take a back up- which will include your FQDN on V20, and then reinstall but as self hosted through AWS. This will spin up a machine on AWS and then you will have the option to restore from a back up

It won;t allow you to do that now. Because V20 won't allow backups without FQDN and License info it throws up an error when trying to upload the backup because the license key is wrong. It was easy to do before. Just do as you say regarding spinning up on self hosted but then you could just replace the license. I'm currently in convo with 3CX support, tyring to find out who can remove the hosting part of a license when we renew it for self hosting. Our distributor isn;t doing it.

 

[ChrisC_3CX]

Can you tell me the process for moving from Hosted by 3CX to Self Hosted? If we are only able to renew the license then we pay the 3CX hosting fee when it isn't required. I bought a key yesterday to replace on an AWS and now it doesn't work. Bad timing I suppose. My customer has been down for a full day now. If I renew the existing license I get charged over $1,000 as opposed to $430 for no hosting included.

Hey @Craig Catlow

EDITED: I see support already helped with this by removing hosting, if you have similar cases we can help you take care of them too in the same manner.

 

[GabrielaS_3CX]

Hello,
Are the others key level > 4SC always allowed to move from any kind of hosting like on premise/ hosted / 3cx hosted ?

Hi,

• Commercial 4SC valid (not expired or new), you can only deploy: on-prem / self-hosting
• Commercial 4SC valid purchased with 3CX hosting (not activated), you can deploy: 3CX hosting

Important note:

Hosting for 4SC Keys: It’s no longer possible to add hosting to new or existing 4SC licenses. If you need hosting, upgrade to 8SC PRO or move to 3CX SMB FREE.

 

[GabrielaS_3CX]

Can an 8SC Trial key be replaced with a purchased 4SC key?

Hi,

Yes, free licenses and trials can be replaced with a commercial key.

 

[Craig Catlow]

@Tony Cave. Exactly! Just had a response to say we now have to contact support to have the hosting portion removed.

 

[GabrielaS_3CX]

So regarding commercial keys no longer being replaced - to confirm - if we have a key that is close to expiry and we have another key on another instance that is no longer needed but was recently renewed, we cannot do that swap anymore? If so, this makes key management incredibly annoying and we lose a lot of value. Sometimes we need to change keys because client size requirements change - being able to swap keys made that easy to manage.

Hi,

If we have a key that is close to expiry and we have another key on another instance that is no longer needed but was recently renewed, we cannot do that swap anymore? If so, this makes key management incredibly annoying and we lose a lot of value.

• Just to clarify, the key replacement function was originally designed to facilitate the upgrade of trial licenses, not for commercial license transfers between instances. Based on your description, it seems the functionality is being used for commercial purposes, which is not aligned with our licensing policy.
• Please note that licenses are not transferable between instances. Our model is based on annual licensing, and each instance is expected to be covered accordingly.
• I understand this may create some additional management steps, but it ensures proper compliance and fair usage across our partner network.

Sometimes we need to change keys because client size requirements change - being able to swap keys made that easy to manage.

• I understand that requirements can sometimes change. In such cases, you may reach out to our CSR team, who can review the situation and advise accordingly.

 

[Craig Catlow]

Hello,
Are the others key level > 4SC always allowed to move from any kind of hosting like on premise/ hosted / 3cx hosted ?

Hi,

If we have a key that is close to expiry and we have another key on another instance that is no longer needed but was recently renewed, we cannot do that swap anymore? If so, this makes key management incredibly annoying and we lose a lot of value.

• Just to clarify, the key replacement function was originally designed to facilitate the upgrade of trial licenses, not for commercial license transfers between instances. Based on your description, it seems the functionality is being used for commercial purposes, which is not aligned with our licensing policy.
• Please note that licenses are not transferable between instances. Our model is based on annual licensing, and each instance is expected to be covered accordingly.
• I understand this may create some additional management steps, but it ensures proper compliance and fair usage across our partner network.

Sometimes we need to change keys because client size requirements change - being able to swap keys made that easy to manage.

• I understand that requirements can sometimes change. In such cases, you may reach out to our CSR team, who can review the situation and advise accordingly.

To your first point. That's exactly the process 3cx support told me to use to change from 3cx hosted to self hosted. Stop the instance, install on aws, replace with new license without hosting.

 

[Yhe]

Hi,

How i can replace a 4SC Ent to a fresh 8SC Pro now ?

It's a crazy thing, you stop to count 4SC ENT from sales, and now we cannot change 4SC Ent to 8SC Pro...

 

[CentrexJ]

Hi,

How i can replace a 4SC Ent to a fresh 8SC Pro now ?

It's a crazy thing, you stop to count 4SC ENT from sales, and now we cannot change 4SC Ent to 8SC Pro...

You might have to go back to your partner rep to get the new key cancelled and the 4sc ent changed to pro.

Then take the 4sc key code and upgrade it to 8sc.

 

[Yhe]

You might have to go back to your partner rep to get the new key cancelled and the 4sc ent changed to pro.

Then take the 4sc key code and upgrade it to 8sc.

Unfortunately, we cannot downgrade an entreprise licence to professionnal.
That's 3CX French division said...

 

[Yhe]

I manage to replace a 4SC ENT to 8SC PRO ...
It was a little bit tricky but it works .

@GabrielaS_3CX Let back the feature on the dashboard

 

[GabrielaS_3CX]

Hi,

How i can replace a 4SC Ent to a fresh 8SC Pro now ?

It's a crazy thing, you stop to count 4SC ENT from sales, and now we cannot change 4SC Ent to 8SC Pro...

HI,

There is no need to buy a new key, you can reach out to our CSR team, who can review the situation and advise accordingly.

 

[tronic]

Can an 8SC Trial key be replaced with a purchased 4SC key?

Yes i did yesterday

 

[Benedikt Machens]

HI,

There is no need to buy a new key, you can reach out to our CSR team, who can review the situation and advise accordingly.

Hi,

is this the way when we have to downgrade a license too? Like 128SC ENT to 96SC ENT ?