Action Required! Prepare Now for SMS Changes in U6

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

@G.BOURGEOIS thanks for the reply. I'm aware of this workaround, I was hoping for an actual solution.
One of my clients has around 10 offices and which all have DIDs that direct to CFDs and I was trying to avoid having to make 10 more IVRs (especially now that I can't put them down in the 0xx range with the rest of the IVRs) and adding a delay to the front of the call.
Documenting their call flow was already pretty messy and this is going to add to it.
Sorry for being grouchy, stayed up too late upgrading servers. I do appreciate the help.

Our partner and supplier of SIP Trunk has created a "SMS DNIS Override" functionality for us.
This means that in the eyes of 3CX, the SMS enters a DID which does not receive calls.

For example, if the phone number is

+18197400000, we enable SMS DNIS Override.
And write that the DID must be reformatted by ; +17007400000.
This configuration only affects SMS.

When routed to 3CX ;
- Calls are sent to +18197401234
- SMS are sent to +17007401234

So I can route to different places.
Because in terminations, SMS are sent to 3CX at a different number.

When creating a news conversations from 3CX, we write from the DID +17007401234 , the carrier "Match" the information and publicly use the correct did +18197401234 .

It's a bit like the logic of Network NAT and Ports Forwarding ...
The # external (public) port is not necessarily the same # port internally (local).
For SMS only , The external (public) telephone number is not the same as the internal (In 3CX) one ..

It works great.. But it's a Trunk Provider solution, not in 3CX solution.

That said, the proposed solution is very reliable, 10 IVR is not the end of the world
Maybe one day CallFlow will support SMS! Who knows !

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

I have found, all SMS routing is as it was before at least for now, 1 DID route to CFA still works, 1 DID to IVR still works and 1 to Queue works. The webhook changed so I just had to change the setting for webhook. FYI All the changes I made were in the Management Console and not in the webclient.

 

[tcorson]

Hi @MatthewC,

Please note that in order for an extension to be able to initiate an SMS conversation, an SMS enabled DID must be routing to a destination that is part of(Call Queue, Ring Group, Extension Group, or directly to the extension).

Keep in mind though, that this applies for all DIDs. You will have to point all the DIDs that you want the extension to use for initiating SMS conversations to a destination that is part of.

Can you elaborate on this? I am noticing that I am able to receive messages sent from outside our system but we are still unable to send "New SMS" messages without delivery failure.

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Can you elaborate on this? I am noticing that I am able to receive messages sent from outside our system but we are still unable to send "New SMS" messages without delivery failure.

Have you tried to take note of your Sip Trunk info
(username, password, destination for each DID)
+
Delete your SIP Trunk in 3CX and reconfigure it in 3CX ?

I don't have a SIP Trunk Telnyx to test with but looks like I would try that.

 

[tcorson]

Have you tried to take note of your Sip Trunk info
(username, password, destination for each DID)
+
Delete your SIP Trunk in 3CX and reconfigure it in 3CX ?

I don't have a SIP Trunk Telnyx to test with but looks like I would try that.

as simple as it sounds my SIP trunk has about 50 DIDs all of which are doing their own thing so I'm not about to rebuild every business org from the ground up. is there no way to verify settings or send refresh to the service? My SIP trunk provider isn't receiving message from 3CX so the messages just aren't getting there. When replying to an existing message i'm able to SMS just fine. I dont understand the different but 3CX is creating two separate message even though the number is identical.

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Are your DIDs configured in E.164 format (+xxxxxxxxxxx) ?
Aka ; +14509010101

 

[tcorson]

its funny you say this now. i have all of my DIDs listed in the *123456 format (as it has worked in the past) and for some reason it dawned on me to remove that formatting on a test number to test SMS. my tests (thus far) have worked with success. strangely all of my calls have continued to work so unsure how/why the DID formatting would affect SMS specifically since its my understanding that there is no longer separate routing between calls and SMS now... is this accurate?

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Yes, Although it worked before, the method has changed and 3CX specifies to configure DIDs in E.164 format.

Warning, test inboundcall before process all other DID.

as simple as it sounds my SIP trunk has about 50 DIDs all of which are doing their own thing so I'm not about to rebuild every business org from the ground up. is there no way to verify settings or send refresh to the service? My SIP trunk provider isn't receiving message from 3CX so the messages just aren't getting there. When replying to an existing message i'm able to SMS just fine. I dont understand the different but 3CX is creating two separate message even though the number is identical.

I manage PBXs for retirement homes that integrate more than 300 DIDs. Although I didn't have to rebuild for SMS, I saw DIDs migrate from one provider to another, which is equivalent.

You perceive the work more complicated than it really is.
Export InboundRules ( CSV format ).

No need to delete SIP TRUNK.





Edit your CSV file, reformat phone number and save.
Remove all DIDs from your SIP trunk in 3CX, leave only the main phone number.

Import CSV file InboundRules…
the DIDs will be automatically added to the SIP TRUNK and InboundRules automatically add.

Magic !

 

[SethTalley]

I believe this has broken important functionality for us.

We have 3 DIDs, all of which go to a ring-all reception ring group (the reception phones). An option within that ring group is "page the midwife" which then goes to a ring-all ring group (the midwife mobile extensions). Up to now, the reception group was using one of those DIDs for texting clients ("stay in your car until we come out to swab you for COVID") while the midwifery page group was using another one of those DIDs for occasional, mission-critical MMS ("take a picture of the clot and send it to me").

Can someone tell me how to route MMS to a ring group if the voice is going to a separate ring group? Because our receptionists don't need to see "worrisome things that come out of your body" and our clients are well-trained on ONE NUMBER that we do *NOT* want them to be able to call directly. It's really important for HIPAA and insurance that they call, leave a message, message gets transcribed to text, midwife grabs text and enters it into EHR and commences the visit.

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

I believe this has broken important functionality for us.

We have 3 DIDs, all of which go to a ring-all reception ring group (the reception phones). An option within that ring group is "page the midwife" which then goes to a ring-all ring group (the midwife mobile extensions). Up to now, the reception group was using one of those DIDs for texting clients ("stay in your car until we come out to swab you for COVID") while the midwifery page group was using another one of those DIDs for occasional, mission-critical MMS ("take a picture of the clot and send it to me").

Can someone tell me how to route MMS to a ring group if the voice is going to a separate ring group? Because our receptionists don't need to see "worrisome things that come out of your body" and our clients are well-trained on ONE NUMBER that we do *NOT* want them to be able to call directly. It's really important for HIPAA and insurance that they call, leave a message, message gets transcribed to text, midwife grabs text and enters it into EHR and commences the visit.

Same solution ;
https://www.3cx.com/community/threa...-now-for-sms-changes-in-u6.118888/post-552594

But instead of routing calls to a CallFlow, choose the destination of your choice

 

[SethTalley]

...okay, but I'm an end user, not a telco, and I haven't been using call flow up until now.

You're telling me that in order to get the off-the-shelf functionality I had Friday I now need to learn call flow?

I'm running hosted. I was running it on Google Cloud but restarting my Cloud instance put me in that dreaded "not enough resources" loop where Google prioritized new instances over existing and never let me restart. Per the advice of this forum, I moved to hosted.

So now to get my paging MMS working I need to move back off hosted and onto Cloud?

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

...okay, but I'm an end user, not a telco, and I haven't been using call flow up until now.

You're telling me that in order to get the off-the-shelf functionality I had Friday I now need to learn call flow?

I'm running hosted. I was running it on Google Cloud but restarting my Cloud instance put me in that dreaded "not enough resources" loop where Google prioritized new instances over existing and never let me restart. Per the advice of this forum, I moved to hosted.

So now to get my paging MMS working I need to move back off hosted and onto Cloud?

No.. in my link references, the end user wanted to send their calls to a CallFlow, not a Ring Group….
As I mentioned, route your calls according to your needs. No need CallFlow.

You are pointing your DID at an IVR that has no prompt…. the call will be routed directly to the destination if no choice is made.

In this “small IVR”, you will have the choice to direct SMS automatically to a destination of your choice, and a different destination for calls.

It works very well.. Call Flow is unrelated, the other user had the same challenge.. but instead of a Ring Group, calls were being sent to CallFlow. This does not change the solution, you apply a IVR “BEFORE” the final destination who will have the role of routing according to the type (SMS/CALL)

 

[SethTalley]

Okay. Just so we're clear I'm gonna go over what I think you're telling me. FYI the UI has changed *a lot* with this update? For example, I can't find any of this stuff within the admin console, where I'm used to doing it, and had to download the desktop app to get to Admin.

SO

1) From Admin (Gear at lower left) - Call Handling

2) From Call Handling - Digital Receptionist - EDIT

3) From Digital Receptionist, OPTIONS

4) Forward SMS - Midwifery MMS Call Queue

So far so good?

This gets me part of the way back to functionality. Unfortunately my configuration right now has three DIDs that all go to that one digital receptionist.

SOLUTION?

I think you're suggesting I create two more digital receptionists - instead of having one digital receptionist with three DIDs, I have three virtually-identical digital receptionists that differ only in where they forward SMS. So:

PREVIOUS: numberX, numberY number Z go to 800, SMS for nX nY nZ go to MMSpage

NEW: (nX, nZ goes to 800, SMS goes to MMSreception) (nY goes to 801, SMS goes to MMSpage) where 800 and 801 are identical except for their MMS destinations

Am I understanding correctly?

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Okay. Just so we're clear I'm gonna go over what I think you're telling me. FYI the UI has changed *a lot* with this update? For example, I can't find any of this stuff within the admin console, where I'm used to doing it, and had to download the desktop app to get to Admin.

SO

1) From Admin (Gear at lower left) - Call Handling

2) From Call Handling - Digital Receptionist - EDIT

3) From Digital Receptionist, OPTIONS

4) Forward SMS - Midwifery MMS Call Queue

So far so good?

This gets me part of the way back to functionality. Unfortunately my configuration right now has three DIDs that all go to that one digital receptionist.

SOLUTION?

I think you're suggesting I create two more digital receptionists - instead of having one digital receptionist with three DIDs, I have three virtually-identical digital receptionists that differ only in where they forward SMS. So:

PREVIOUS: numberX, numberY number Z go to 800, SMS for nX nY nZ go to MMSpage

NEW: (nX, nZ goes to 800, SMS goes to MMSreception) (nY goes to 801, SMS goes to MMSpage) where 800 and 801 are identical except for their MMS destinations

Am I understanding correctly?

You understood very well !
Very good summary !
Once you have "adopted" this method, you will come back to us to tell us how simple it is in the end .

 

[SethTalley]

Haha that's gonna wait for the weekend so that if I break the crap out of it I have time to recover...

Related question that probably belongs in another thread - what's the easiest way to clear 'history' of SMS conversations? I like the way 3CX allows you to move messages to the responsibility of an agent but with a limited number of cell numbers to test from, it'd be handy to be able to purge past decisions and treat the numbers as shiny new. I can tell there's going to be a lot of testing on this and I'd like to be able to fumble about.

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Haha that's gonna wait for the weekend so that if I break the crap out of it I have time to recover...

Related question that probably belongs in another thread - what's the easiest way to clear 'history' of SMS conversations? I like the way 3CX allows you to move messages to the responsibility of an agent but with a limited number of cell numbers to test from, it'd be handy to be able to purge past decisions and treat the numbers as shiny new. I can tell there's going to be a lot of testing on this and I'd like to be able to fumble about.

When you click Dealt with, opening a new conversation will not show the history.







Alternatively, you can delete ALL chat/SMS history via 3CX Dashboard ( admin )








If you have any other questions, don't hesitate, the answers don't cost more .
But, I'm counting on you on my birthday ;-) LOL

I'm joking !

Good evening

 

[Intech Speed]

We were working just fine before Update 6
Now all hell has broke loose at our corporate office.

We use Telnyx, and I have updated the Webhook to our local hosted 3CX.
I have also applied the API key.

Our Customer Service department can no longer initiate SMS to our customers.

All of the screenshots I have seen, show SMS configuration on web clients and not the main Admin GUI.

Seems like all of the support material assumes that 3CX installations are StartUPs.........!

Where is the documentation for Pro local hosted systems, to enable users to send SMS?

The only instructions I can find keep sending me back to the main Admin GUI, then Users - General - to set the SMS at the bottom of the settings screen - but this setting is gone.

We are desperate, as when 3CX makes big changes like this - they are disruptive
and our management will NOT authorize payment for a billable 3CX Support call.

 

[SweetAction]

We were working just fine before Update 6
Now all hell has broke loose at our corporate office.

We use Telnyx, and I have updated the Webhook to our local hosted 3CX.
I have also applied the API key.

Our Customer Service department can no longer initiate SMS to our customers.

All of the screenshots I have seen, show SMS configuration on web clients and not the main Admin GUI.

Seems like all of the support material assumes that 3CX installations are StartUPs.........!

Where is the documentation for Pro local hosted systems, to enable users to send SMS?

The only instructions I can find keep sending me back to the main Admin GUI, then Users - General - to set the SMS at the bottom of the settings screen - but this setting is gone.

We are desperate, as when 3CX makes big changes like this - they are disruptive
and our management will NOT authorize payment for a billable 3CX Support call.

You no longer need to enable SMS for a user - that's why the box is missing in the UI now. All users are auto enabled for any DID that has routing to them (and they can choose which DID if they want to)

As for sending - make sure your DIDs in your trunk are in E164 format and that you are using that format when starting a conversation. You may need to recreate your SIP trunk if your template is out of date.

 

[Intech Speed]

You no longer need to enable SMS for a user - that's why the box is missing in the UI now. All users are auto enabled for any DID that has routing to them (and they can choose which DID if they want to)

As for sending - make sure your DIDs in your trunk are in E164 format and that you are using that format when starting a conversation. You may need to recreate your SIP trunk if your template is out of date.

Thank You for that explanation #SweetAction

But the DIDs are routed to an IVR...
Why is it assumed that DIDs always route DIRECTLY to users?

UPDATE:
So I did find that someone mentioned logging into the Web GUI as the Digital Receptionist extension and setting the SMS forwarding there
But I have no idea what password to use.

Our SMS has been down all day (business loss), and here I am still scraping for a resolution.
Where is the published guidance that addresses these issues?

 

[SweetAction]

Thank You for that explanation #SweetAction

But the DIDs are routed to an IVR...
Why is it assumed that DIDs always route DIRECTLY to users?

UPDATE:
So I did find that someone mentioned logging into the Web GUI as the Digital Receptionist extension and setting the SMS forwarding there
But I have no idea what password to use.

Our SMS has been down all day (business loss), and here I am still scraping for a resolution.
Where is the published guidance that addresses these issues?

Create an extension, set system owner/admin rights, send a welcome email or reset it's password, visit /webclient in a browser, then click the admin link.