New 3CX Windows Softphone

[MMDTerry]

I put the client on a few user's PC to test, but feedback is mixed. They love the fact that VM is no longer buried in the menu and the addition of the BLF pane. Their complaints were the team list was slower to dig through than the team panel of the previous app and that the app is way too big. The other "issue" they have is not having the ability to make the dialer maintain focus, mainly this was from CS reps who have to dial out customer numbers a lot.

Overall I like where it is heading, I'm sure there will be continued improvement as it moves closer to GA.

 

[weimerd]

With running a test instance of V20 now I realized that the Desktop client is been discarded. So the only options are PWA or using the Microsoft Store version, which is a softphone only.

How are the plans for the MS Store versions? Will it somewhen show all functions of the webclient? Actually if you want to start a webmeeting you are forwarded to the browser, opening the webclient with the webmeeting opening. That's working but it does not look nice. As most of the users don't like changes I see discussions incoming at this point.

So we request to add full webclient functionality to the MS Store version. People will love it. Admins will love it. And the additional features that have been implemented so far will be loved as well.

 

[John_SITC]

Are you looking at keeping the Panel? I manage a team and queues, and this is a highlight for me to be able to manage this outside of the web client which gets lost in all the browser windows.
Plus seeing calls coming through helps to direct resources to what is urgent and add more staff to a queue if it's overflowing.

 

[Wesley | Ruijs IT]

For me ,this is already existing in V18
https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/contact-options-produce-no-change-on-apps.123489/

Not for the windows store 3CX app.

 

[N_G]

The Windows softphone is meant to be a softphone only. You must run it next to the webclient. The switchboard can be popped out from the screen so you can always see the active calls in the system if you like....

 

[weimerd]

The Windows softphone is meant to be a softphone only. You must run it next to the webclient. The switchboard can be popped out from the screen so you can always see the active calls in the system if you like....

understood, thanks for the clarification.
Do you plan to add the desktop app of the previous v18 to the MS store as well? People actually loved it but in v20 it is not shown anymore. I know it is a beta, so things are to be changed

 

[N_G]

No, only this new one will be there.

 

[tronic]

I think this looks good, however as someone that is still hanging on to the v16 windows app I would really like to be able to break out the Team screen to a new window, much like the Switchboard feature on the v16 app. We are only 50 users but scrolling through this to see who is available in a department is not fun.

Also, and this is the only reason that we haven't moved on to the Web/PWA/Desktop app, can you bring back the option to group by user group? I want to see who is available in each department at a glance rather than having to select each group in turn from the drop down (also not available in this app).

Finally, is this softphone only? are there any plans for CTI integration with the desk phone?

I like the look and feel of the app but can't at the moment see the advantage over the Web/PWA.

The option to "group" departments or teams is in the system itself. You create groups in the current console screen under user/groups. Then once this group is created you can select groups in the top right of the desktop app or PWA. Under where you click to go into the status screen.

 

[Si_PEarson_LPC]

The option to "group" departments or teams is in the system itself. You create groups in the current console screen under user/groups. Then once this group is created you can select groups in the top right of the desktop app or PWA. Under where you click to go into the status screen.

Yes I know about that. It's just nice to be able to see all the departments on one screen in the v16 switchboard rather than having to select from a menu as you do in the web app. To be honest this is isn't a major concern but it is one of the reasons we still use the old app; I don't see any reason to reduce the user experience if I don't have to.

We are pretty much all office based here with Yealink desk phones. With the new Windows app just being a soft phone I can't see any reason to install it. The only option to connect to the desk phone will be via the web app; assuming that will not be removed in v20.

 

[gcf]

Hello,

Very good job, but I just have one comment in order to provision your new app or your 3CX Desktop App..

"Provisioning your 3CX Client for Windows​

To provision your app follow the steps below:

• Open your V20 Web Client.
• Click on apps and click on the Windows App tile.
• Tap on the Provision Button, followed by clicking on ‘Open 3CX’ in the browser pop up window.
• The app will launch with your extension automatically configured.
• Windows Defender will prompt you to allow 3CX access.

Provisioning for users whose PBX is installed locally​

• Open the 3CX Softphone. Make sure that no profile is present and/or active.
• Open your V20 Web Client as an admin user.
• Click on Admin > Phones > PNP Phones.
• Select the item shown as Windows Softphone > and click on the Assign Button."

==> The first step "Open your Web Client" can not be imaginable for a big company.
We deployed 1500 "3CX Deskop App" at my company, and it was hell...

Thanks to work on an automatic deployment and provisonning using product like Microsoft Intune and SSO for OnPremise and Cloud PBX.

In 2024, the way you provision your application makes no sense.

Regards,

 

[EPSupport]

Hello,

Very good job, but I just have one comment in order to provision your new app or your 3CX Desktop App..

"Provisioning your 3CX Client for Windows​

To provision your app follow the steps below:

• Open your V20 Web Client.
• Click on apps and click on the Windows App tile.
• Tap on the Provision Button, followed by clicking on ‘Open 3CX’ in the browser pop up window.
• The app will launch with your extension automatically configured.
• Windows Defender will prompt you to allow 3CX access.

Provisioning for users whose PBX is installed locally​

• Open the 3CX Softphone. Make sure that no profile is present and/or active.
• Open your V20 Web Client as an admin user.
• Click on Admin > Phones > PNP Phones.
• Select the item shown as Windows Softphone > and click on the Assign Button."

==> The first step "Open your Web Client" can not be imaginable for a big company.
We deployed 1500 "3CX Deskop App" at my company, and it was hell...

Thanks to work on an automatic deployment and provisonning using product like Microsoft Intune and SSO for OnPremise and Cloud PBX.

In 2024, the way you provision your application makes no sense.

Regards,

I agree that a more enterprise friendly provisioning method is needed.
We run 3CX in a number of schools and require teachers to have the desktop app installed for easy cross school communications. It is used heavily for both voice and chat.

It isn't feasible to ask each teacher to log in to the web client to then provision their desktop app.

 

[EPSupport]

I have been testing the new windows softphone and it lacks a lot of features compared with V18 desktop app.
I currently deploy the desktop app to over 500 devices across our schools. Teachers will not want to use the new softphone that has much less capability. Chat needs to be available without also having the webclient open.

I hope the missing features are simply due to the early stage release of V20 and the windows store app will have full feature parity with V18 desktop app. Alternately allow V18 desktop app to be compatible with V20 going fowards.

 

[N_G]

The softphone is meant to be a softphone, not the desktop app replacement. You can use PWA for a desktop app replacement which has a built in softphone as well. Those are the options available.

@gcf In terms of provisioning the phone, you can use PNP as the admin to approve auto installs. We have to check what provisioning options Windows Store offers, i am not sure there a whole lot. You mention SSO but we support SSO.

 

[it_pro]

Would it be possible for it to minimize to the system tray when closing it with the X rather than closing it completely? Our users would definitely do this given that's the behaviour of the legacy windows client. I've even done it myself a few times!

 

[N_G]

@it_pro A lot of the behaviour is prescribed my microsoft to have apps work the same. So its not possible to do this. however, it being a windows store app we will be adding PUSH support to it so it can wake up the app on receiving a call. But that is not in the release version yet....

 

[it_pro]

@it_pro A lot of the behaviour is prescribed my microsoft to have apps work the same. So its not possible to do this. however, it being a windows store app we will be adding PUSH support to it so it can wake up the app on receiving a call. But that is not in the release version yet....

Ah ok, that would certainly work. Also maybe an option to prevent closing via X (if that's even possible - a user could still close it by right clicking in the taskbar, which is obviously way more intentional).

 

[ThomB_3CX]

Ah ok, that would certainly work. Also maybe an option to prevent closing via X (if that's even possible - a user could still close it by right clicking in the taskbar, which is obviously way more intentional).

@it_pro as mentioned above, MS apps have limitations. Minimising to system tray is not possible, and removing the X button goes against MS apps policies.
PUSH support is an option here which we will be looking into adding in a future build.

 

[Gasha]

@assvas @Si_PEarson_LPC CTI integration is a deprecated tech. We will take your feedback into consideration though and look into modern ways of implementations.

Not meaning to be rude in any way...
But how exactly is CTI Integration e.g. controlling your Deskphone via App "depracted" tech?

Trying to articulate all of these changes to our customers and clients, will be a lot tougher than just saying "but 3CX said so!" is what most of us are trying to say here, at least that's the vibe I'm kind of getting from the others currently commenting.

V20 by itself is shaping up to be a really great release so far but the entire and current App debate is somewhat concering.

 

[N_G]

@Gasha Its just a choice of words. There are no big changes here. We have been telling the same things for a long time. To control the deskphone you must use the web client (PWA), not the softphone. You can control the windows softphone from PWA infact. A softphone is not supposed to control another phone.

If you want to have a better understanding of our strategy please come to our partner event in Tampa next week and we are happy to answer any questions about strategy and direction of 3CX.

 

[N_G]

I see you are from Germany - we just did one in London but we will surely do one in Germany also next year.