Group SMS Capability

[GPRO]

Throughout this forum, there are multiple posts requesting group SMS/MMS capabilities within 3CX. Post after post states that SMS is P2P in 3CX, and group SMS is not technically capable. Why is this the case? We need group SMS capabilities in order for the SMS functions to be taken seriously by the clients we are selling these solutions to.

This post specifically: https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/sms-to-multiple-employees.117786/ states that "SMS are by design one-to-one. When you create a group chat on a cellphone, it just sends many SMSs as once." ...So what is the issue with tracking group SMS then? Why can I not send a text to multiple employees or people at once?

Every other messaging app that offers SMS/MMS capabilities has this capability. Our clients need this capability, and so do we. We have already missed out on multiple sales because of this lack of (what should be considered basic) functionality. If 3CX is going to handle SMS/MMS, then it needs to handle ALL SMS/MMS.

 

[Simple Simon]

There has been HUGE confusion and contradictory answers from 3CX and others on this topic -
mostly saying "you can't do that". Well, if I understand your question correctly, this OFFICIAL
webpage says that you CAN: "Route incoming text messages directly to queues"
https://www.3cx.com/live-chat/business-text/

I had to move up to the v6? Beta (current one) to get their logical fixes for this issue, but
incoming SMS from "random" (eg. new customer, existing, whatever) numbers is now routing fine for me.
Like many of the less common features and controls, it's not where you think it is,
and is only available on one side (in this case webclient) or the other of Admin.
CAVEAT: Is the following the only way to do it? Seems so - at the moment anyway.
1. Make sure everything is set up with your SIP provider - including the SMS webhook stuff.
2. Your inbound rule for the DID has to route to an IVR (digital receptionist).
3. NOW THE MAGIC. In your admin webclient call handling (/webclient/#/office/call-handling),
select the IVR for the DID. Now select "Options", and it's a maracle!
Note that everything EXCEPT SMS on this page is also on your main IVR definition page.

I just got this running a few days ago, and have not had time to really learn it - but it works.
The "target" of the forward apparently can be any extension, queue, or ring group.
I am using a ring group right now, as it's simpler for us (for now anyway).
I note that a ring group is not a "queue" (see webpage above), but IT WORKS -
and it SHOULD work, because once an SMS is a chat, the rest doesn't matter.

I am at the moment trying to figure out how I can disable the chat "take" - our environment is
such that we NEVER want a chat to be "taken private". Having spent decades doing phone
support for a living, I am sure we are not alone in this - it may not even be legal in some places.
But I expect the 3CX official answer (just like it has been for the primary issue at hand) is going
to be "that is not possible" or "not enough demand" or some other "just go away little boy".

P.S. What are the legal values for the required field "system" when creating a thread?

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

There has been HUGE confusion and contradictory answers from 3CX and others on this topic -
mostly saying "you can't do that". Well, if I understand your question correctly, this OFFICIAL
webpage says that you CAN: "Route incoming text messages directly to queues"

This is true, however that is not what @GPRO is asking

Why can I not send a text to multiple employees or people at once?

This is not possible at this time, I have no idea if it ever will become possible.

 

[Simple Simon]

I see what you're saying, but it depends on context -- which is not entirely clear in the OP.

But I agree, sending an actual SMS text to employees (that should have a 3CX extension),
would be an unnecessary use of resources. 3CX Chat itself, which is accessible on all the
platforms 3CX apps support covers that need. As for doing multiple off-PBX SMS -- well,
said another way, that is SMS conferencing, except it's not - because it's async. I actually
agree with 3CX saying "nope" on that one -- but still strongly disagree with what they've been
saying about the other case, which now, and only in beta, has become usable.

Now that being said, I personally am an outlier - I don't use a smartphone. So, "text" notifications
might be useful to me -- and the other 4 people on the planet that don't want a smartphone.

But seriously, SMS itself is a dying technology, now that "cellular data" is so prevalent. Even my
outfit is an outlier because our customer base is rather specialized, and app-resistant for their
own valid reasons. Therefore, needing incoming (and reply to single) SMS is very important to us.

 

[GPRO]

There has been HUGE confusion and contradictory answers from 3CX and others on this topic -
mostly saying "you can't do that". Well, if I understand your question correctly, this OFFICIAL
webpage says that you CAN: "Route incoming text messages directly to queues"
https://www.3cx.com/live-chat/business-text/

I had to move up to the v6? Beta (current one) to get their logical fixes for this issue, but
incoming SMS from "random" (eg. new customer, existing, whatever) numbers is now routing fine for me.
Like many of the less common features and controls, it's not where you think it is,
and is only available on one side (in this case webclient) or the other of Admin.
CAVEAT: Is the following the only way to do it? Seems so - at the moment anyway.
1. Make sure everything is set up with your SIP provider - including the SMS webhook stuff.
2. Your inbound rule for the DID has to route to an IVR (digital receptionist).
3. NOW THE MAGIC. In your admin webclient call handling (/webclient/#/office/call-handling),
select the IVR for the DID. Now select "Options", and it's a maracle!
Note that everything EXCEPT SMS on this page is also on your main IVR definition page.

I just got this running a few days ago, and have not had time to really learn it - but it works.
The "target" of the forward apparently can be any extension, queue, or ring group.
I am using a ring group right now, as it's simpler for us (for now anyway).
I note that a ring group is not a "queue" (see webpage above), but IT WORKS -
and it SHOULD work, because once an SMS is a chat, the rest doesn't matter.

I am at the moment trying to figure out how I can disable the chat "take" - our environment is
such that we NEVER want a chat to be "taken private". Having spent decades doing phone
support for a living, I am sure we are not alone in this - it may not even be legal in some places.
But I expect the 3CX official answer (just like it has been for the primary issue at hand) is going
to be "that is not possible" or "not enough demand" or some other "just go away little boy".

P.S. What are the legal values for the required field "system" when creating a thread?

View attachment 33752

SMS Texting to queues is not what I am talking about. That's an entirely separate feature. I'm talking about the basic SMS/MMS function where I can hold a conversation with two contacts at a client.

Example 1: Send a txt to the two partners at a client with a status update on something
Example 2: A client sends a group txt to us and a contact of theirs, to refer our services
Example 3: Multiple people communicating via SMS to coordinate a meeting time later this week. We're included in the group chat.

Every phone I've had for the past decade has this functionality. Here's what happens when you try to do the above three scenarios in 3CX:

Example 1: You can't. You have to compose two individual text messages to two individual contacts. (Why can't I just specify two recipients?)
Example 2: You receive the initial text. When the third party replies to say thanks for the intro, it looks like a brand new message from an unknown number.
Example 3: Completely unmanageable. It's impossible to follow the thread of conversation, because each reply looks like a new message from an individual contact and doesn't follow the thread of conversation at all. It's also impossible to reply to the group, so you're stuck replying to one individual's message and you're completely left out of the loop of conversation.

Honestly, it's a horrible implementation. Why is it that 3CX cannot implement basic SMS features that have been around for over a decade?

 

[SnakeRiverWebDevelopment]

SMS Texting to queues is not what I am talking about. That's an entirely separate feature. I'm talking about the basic SMS/MMS function where I can hold a conversation with two contacts at a client.

Not possible at tis time, as I stated before. This mas be possible using your providers API, but 3CX does not support this.

 

[Simple Simon]

Ya - I did read you backward, and SRW read it right.
The base technical limitation is most likely if SIP SMS does not know the other participants beyond the group originator,
or that there is a special flag involved that SIP or 3CX does not process.

Please note that "cell phones" are not the same thing as VoIP.
Cell providers have their own SMS networks. SIP providers have to use SMS gateway providers.
The translation, middleware, or whatever may actually be the issue.

MEANWHILE can someone PLEASE tell me what goes in the "system" box to create a thread?