"Free" license maintenance expired

Today my Free 16SC license expired and now my management console shows my maintenance has expired. this means that now I am unable to download any updates for firmware, templates etc. I just bought a new GrandStream GXP2135 for testing and am unable to download the new firmware that is the "minimum required" version.

I performed a forum search and found a thread where somebody was advised that there was a 1 month grace period before the license downgrade occurred; does this mean that now have to wait another month until the license is automatically downgraded to 4SC to get maintenance again for the software updates?

I would have though that if there is a "grace period" before the downgrades occurred then software updates should still work.

I even tried to "downgrade" myself through my customer portal, however all that it let me to was a free downgrade to 8SC and STILL shows my maintenance expired this morning.

EDIT: I am running 15.5SP4

Hope somebody has an idea what will happen, thanks in advance for any assistance.

 

Thanks for the reply, I am now somewhat confused however.

I was under the impression that the old PBX Edition was upgraded to 16SC Standard Annual Perpetual, and when the first year “free” period was up it would be automatically downgraded to 4SC with maintenance included.

I have been getting emails for the last month advising my maintenance was expiring, so thought my license would get downgraded to 4SC.

Am I mistaken in my interpretation/understanding of the new “free” licensing model?

 

Thanks, I have also read that post as well. I am just concerned as my 16SC expired and did not downgrade to 4SC with active maintenance. I am hoping that somebody from 3CX can categorically state what should be happening, however I will to try and call the Australian customer service number on my account and see what they say when I can in a couple of days

 

Thanks Jimbo59. Tried that, customer portal website is also reporting that maintenance has expired and not downgraded to 4SC license.

Will try Aussie customer service tomorrow and see what they say.

 

That was my second plan. Only my home test lab so no issues there

 

appears to be all sorted now, my maintenance now expires on the 30th December 2018; but interestingly enough 3-4 days after I created this thread my maintenance started working again; 1 day at a time and for at least 1 week after that it would increment by a day or two.