New Android Beta App with Updated UI, Call Encryption and Reconnection

[nb]

And V16 has nothing? How can you say this?
You are commenting in a post that is flooded with new features and new functionality?

How do you think the reconnect is possible? You think this can be done and delivered by talking to a v15 server?>

Tunnel encryption - you think I can start encrypting tunnel calls client side only without talking to an updated server?

You yourself have been asking for tunnel encryption for years..
You should act as an influencer for 3CX users and your bible should be to update. Not argue with me why v16 has nothing new.. You are in a post that is just Advertising truckloads of only new fresh functionality.

I don't understand.

 

[cjt]

Re: Exit without push. Very disappointed that after the huge feedback on the last time this was done, that it has gone again.

Everyone has different use scenario. For us, we are office desk based with desk phones. So using DND etc doesn't work as then desk phone won't ring. Nobody wants mobiles ringing simultaneously to desk phones. In office people have to leave mobile in desk drawer so not distracted by them while at work, and if away from desk means in a meeting etc so the case of it being useful to have mobile ring isn't applicable. And if on lunch break they don't want mobile ringing for work calls, but lunch isn't taken at a regular fixed time so can't program this into the system for example.

Our staff use is this - if someone is out of the office temporarily (eg on a visit to a client which is rare for us) they load up the app, make a call, then they want to completely shut off the app on their mobile until the next time (could be 2 weeks before next needed). In the meantime they want their mobile to be back to a personal mobile and not be disturbed by any calls. People work different hours sometimes working later etc and needs phones ringing in office as if someone else is here later they will pick up.

The current method of primarily desk phone based, but with option of loading app on mobile for ad-hoc use and then closing "without push" when finished works perfectly. It is flexible, simple, needs just two minutes to explain to press exit without push, it just works and is simple enough for staff to remember even if they use just once a month. If this option is dropped there needs to be an equally simple way of turning mobile on and off completely on demand from user with minimum steps please.

 

[gorbros]

This is not correct. use the status.. Change to dnd. You won't be pushed. You do not forget to exit the app by going to settings and pressing on exit without push. In the same way, whe you are about to exit without push, change to DND Top right..

This exit without push can have the potential to screw things on Google push servers. Because it is not the official way to suppress push. You need to tell your users to move to another more friendly and easier and recommended approach.

Noted.

 

[nobody]

And V16 has nothing? How can you say this?
You are commenting in a post that is flooded with new features and new functionality?

How do you think the reconnect is possible? You think this can be done and delivered by talking to a v15 server?>

Tunnel encryption - you think I can start encrypting tunnel calls client side only without talking to an updated server?

You yourself have been asking for tunnel encryption for years..
You should act as an influencer for 3CX users and your bible should be to update. Not argue with me why v16 has nothing new.. You are in a post that is just Advertising truckloads of only new fresh functionality.

I don't understand.

Sorry, I dont mean v16 has no new features. But everyone has his one preference. For example the use of the chat and the click to call feature was (even if I recommended it) is not used. Also the option to use the mobile phone as an extension is not used because people (ios users) simply refused after they found no easy way to silence their phones. Also everyone I know struggles with the difficult procedure to set the system into "night mode".
Btw. I dont remember asking for tunnel encryption. As long as the call gehts relayed unecrypted most of the time encryption of the tunnel is a good thing but does not make the communication 100% safe.
But lets stay on topic. I use and recommend the 3cx pbx but may have and my customers too have different opinions/preferences what is needed.

 

[nb]

Hello all - We removed exit without push. But we have no intention to leave the use cases where this was used unaddressed. We want to address it.
We will solve this like this:
In the forwarding rules, we will have an option -
Away (Push)
Away (Push Disabled)

DND with Push
DND (Push Off)

this means that you can go on your client, and instead doing "exit without push" you will change your status and you can tell the server to Push you or not when you are dnd or away.

In the meantime, this option has to remain removed because with Android 7 and up, android have a very paranoid way of putting the phone in sleep to save battery. This is called Doze mode. Doze mode is a savage battery optimizer that will even not send push.
We really needed to understand why this mode was so aggressive (this is the result of a number of complaints from people stating that push is not working and that calls are being missed)

This is a beta - I assure you guys that by the final update, we will have a solution / a way to not be pushed at least.

ALSO I remember we DO HAVE an easy way to achieve what you guys want..

In the app, we added functionality so if you long press on the 3CX Icon, and click on App Info, you go to the settings >app > 3CX directly.
If you click on FORCE STOP, this will stop the push. Whats app is the same. You can do this instead. We made it easy to go to app info - some phones have it out of the box, others like huawei, we made it ourselves..

 

[nb]

Noted.

There is a way BTW
Long press on App icon, > App info > Force stop

This procedure can be used on any application. Push will deregister and then you launch it and it wil automatically register.

 

[nb]

Sorry, I dont mean v16 has no new features. But everyone has his one preference. For example the use of the chat and the click to call feature was (even if I recommended it) is not used. Also the option to use the mobile phone as an extension is not used because people (ios users) simply refused after they found no easy way to silence their phones. Also everyone I know struggles with the difficult procedure to set the system into "night mode".
Btw. I dont remember asking for tunnel encryption. As long as the call gehts relayed unecrypted most of the time encryption of the tunnel is a good thing but does not make the communication 100% safe.
But lets stay on topic. I use and recommend the 3cx pbx but may have and my customers too have different opinions/preferences what is needed.

Hello and morning!
I respect your opinion and I really wish to know why updating is not done via standard policy. Please try and see deeper in this so you can streamline your processes. This business is so much more fun when everything works as it should and more reassuring when you know that you are backed up by the manufacturer.

Tip for you on exit without push - Actually there is a way - I just forgot to mention it yesterday
Long press on App icon, > App info > Force stop
This procedure can be used on any application. Push will deregister and then you launch it and it wil automatically register.

 

[nb]

Re: Exit without push. Very disappointed that after the huge feedback on the last time this was done, that it has gone again.

Everyone has different use scenario. For us, we are office desk based with desk phones. So using DND etc doesn't work as then desk phone won't ring. Nobody wants mobiles ringing simultaneously to desk phones. In office people have to leave mobile in desk drawer so not distracted by them while at work, and if away from desk means in a meeting etc so the case of it being useful to have mobile ring isn't applicable. And if on lunch break they don't want mobile ringing for work calls, but lunch isn't taken at a regular fixed time so can't program this into the system for example.

Our staff use is this - if someone is out of the office temporarily (eg on a visit to a client which is rare for us) they load up the app, make a call, then they want to completely shut off the app on their mobile until the next time (could be 2 weeks before next needed). In the meantime they want their mobile to be back to a personal mobile and not be disturbed by any calls. People work different hours sometimes working later etc and needs phones ringing in office as if someone else is here later they will pick up.

The current method of primarily desk phone based, but with option of loading app on mobile for ad-hoc use and then closing "without push" when finished works perfectly. It is flexible, simple, needs just two minutes to explain to press exit without push, it just works and is simple enough for staff to remember even if they use just once a month. If this option is dropped there needs to be an equally simple way of turning mobile on and off completely on demand from user with minimum steps please.

Hi thanks for your email - I sympathize with your use case. We will give a solution to all lost operations. However a 10 second way of doing the same thing is below. (plus they can do it for any app in the world so they at least get to learn something universal)

Long press on App icon, > App info > Force stop
This procedure can be used on any application. Push will deregister and then you launch it and it wil automatically register.

 

[kathanasias]

What exactly do you mean "requires V16 Update 2 with a valid, not self-signed, SSL certificate."?

Companies that does not have ssl certificate will not be able to use the new client?

 

[nb]

Or course not - if you do not have ssl, you should be in this space. Let alone working with a client.
But you do have a cert - how can it be that you dont?
Pbx will be useless if ssl is broken.
Help me explain why you are bring this up - because all installs come with 3CX SLL Cert. Fully protected.
Plus you have the option to put your own Cert MADE BY CERT OF AUTHORITY (not one made by you (self signed)- no that is not supported.)

 

[STRS Matt]

Came to the forum to give some extended feedback, rather than posting directly on Google Play Beta.

Thanks for everyone’s hard work on this – the new functionality (with call reconnect) is fantastic and I don't think that is said often enough.

My original feedback: Love the new UI. Can you bring back the groupings in the status tab however please? We have our groups setup so that "important" people are displayed first, then the rest of the company. Also the contacts tab continually re-prompts if you deny it access to your phone's contacts.

Developer response: Groupings are gone. This app is not to see important contacts. This app is to search and call. Yes if you deny access, it will prompt again. Thats the code. We will not remember that you denied.. Otherwise there will be no easy way. Anyway - you should not install a phone and deny contacts

Groupings: I appreciate the search facility is there, however we were also using groupings to differentiate between people with the same names working in different departments. For instance, in this screenshot the two ‘Sarah J’ entries are different people working in different departments, but we cannot see which one is which without groupings.
The webclient still has groupings, so they are not ‘gone’ – they are still used throughout the admin interface and on the webclient. There is even a ‘Favourites’ group on the webclient for ‘important’ contacts.

Re-prompting contacts: I do not wish to include my phone’s personal contacts in my business phone’s contact list – they are not relevant to the business, this is why I do not give the permission.
The current (non-beta) version doesn’t re-prompt after you deny contacts, so it is technically possible to do this.
An alternative would be to add an option saying ‘hide phone contacts’.

Clearing call history: This option also seems to have been removed. It is not an issue for me, but I know one of my colleagues clears call history several times a day to keep track of who they haven’t contacted. Would you please add this option back in?

 

[nobody]

What exactly do you mean "requires V16 Update 2 with a valid, not self-signed, SSL certificate."?

Companies that does not have ssl certificate will not be able to use the new client?

A "valid" certificate is valid as long as the client trusts the certificate.
If you have your own certificate authority properly setup and import this certificate authorities root certificate into the root certificate authorities store of your devices, your issued certificate will be as good as any other certificate issued by a common certificate authority.
On IOS you can accomplish this through a device profile, on android you have to import the certificate manually unless you have a MDM solution which does this for you.
So, if you have a very small amount of devices, the effort to manage the certificate authority and manually import the root certificate is acceptable. On larger installations you better go for an MDM solution.

 

[cjt]

this means that you can go on your client, and instead doing "exit without push" you will change your status and you can tell the server to Push you or not when you are dnd or away.

Please also try to find a way of addressing desk based users like our staff, who might just once in a blue moon want to load the mobile app for a one-off particular call, and then exit it and completely disable until the next time. I don't think statuses help, status always set to available in our office as even if they are not in office it doesn't matter a colleague will answer their desk phone and some people share desks and job share etc.

The force close is an option for me, thank you for the info. But for non-tech minded staff who might only use the app once every 3 months they won't remember this, not everyone is interested in technology, some would just uninstall the app if they thought it made their mobile still ring for work calls after they had exited the app and this would be a shame to us.

Hope a simple easy solution is thought of to simply turn mobile app on, use it, and then completely off when finished, as easily as the current menu and exit without push.

 

[Phone systems NZ]

Really pleased to see the that video option is coming soon and can't want to be able to try it out and start using it. This feature will really help with some sales and also I have been waiting for it for my own office for use with our video door phone.

As with the other comments already posted about "exit and ignore push" this is a highly used feature with all my 3cx customer that use the app. I'm pleased to see you have taken on-board the comments already posted and are looking at ways to have a similar functionally added back in. With out it my customers would not be impressed.

 

[nb]

Came to the forum to give some extended feedback, rather than posting directly on Google Play Beta.

Thanks for everyone’s hard work on this – the new functionality (with call reconnect) is fantastic and I don't think that is said often enough.



Groupings: I appreciate the search facility is there, however we were also using groupings to differentiate between people with the same names working in different departments. For instance, in this screenshot the two ‘Sarah J’ entries are different people working in different departments, but we cannot see which one is which without groupings.
The webclient still has groupings, so they are not ‘gone’ – they are still used throughout the admin interface and on the webclient. There is even a ‘Favourites’ group on the webclient for ‘important’ contacts.

Re-prompting contacts: I do not wish to include my phone’s personal contacts in my business phone’s contact list – they are not relevant to the business, this is why I do not give the permission.
The current (non-beta) version doesn’t re-prompt after you deny contacts, so it is technically possible to do this.
An alternative would be to add an option saying ‘hide phone contacts’.

Clearing call history: This option also seems to have been removed. It is not an issue for me, but I know one of my colleagues clears call history several times a day to keep track of who they haven’t contacted. Would you please add this option back in?

But you CAN give permission if you want - this is your phone. the contacts are not copied or sent over the internet. The permission is like this: 3CX APP to android - Can I Read your contacts? This is all the permission does. Not giving permission might result in crashes and ANR's. And we do not test the app in a state with no permissions. Its like you have a computer and you decide to tell windows not to let you go in C:/folder1. You can be responsible enough not to go there yourself - There is no point to make a permission to deny yourself not to go there. The app just reads your contact list so it can read your contacts. Nothing more. Nothing is copied or delivered away from the phone.

Clearing call history - we will add. But I think clear of all history will be made in webclient only. The webclient should be used in conjunction with the app. Certain things can be done from the app - others need to be done from the webclient.

Re groupings - We are thinking to put those marked as favorites first. Like this you can get your top 10 contacts (around 10-12 contacts fit on a standard screen nowadays). So you will add the favorites from the webclient and they will be the first to be displayed in the presence on the app.

 

[STRS Matt]

But you CAN give permission if you want - this is your phone. the contacts are not copied or sent over the internet. The permission is like this: 3CX APP to android - Can I Read your contacts? This is all the permission does. Not giving permission might result in crashes and ANR's. And we do not test the app in a state with no permissions. Its like you have a computer and you decide to tell windows not to let you go in C:/folder1. You can be responsible enough not to go there yourself - There is no point to make a permission to deny yourself not to go there. The app just reads your contact list so it can read your contacts. Nothing more. Nothing is copied or delivered away from the phone.

That's good to know about the contacts not leaving the phone - thank you.
It's not a problem in my situation, but I can see a potential problem when people are accidentally calling their personal contacts from their business phone and being disciplined because of not being allowed to make personal calls using business money however.
It would be really useful to have a 'hide phone contacts' option to avoid this.

Clearing call history - we will add. But I think clear of all history will be made in webclient only. The webclient should be used in conjunction with the app. Certain things can be done from the app - others need to be done from the webclient.

Re groupings - We are thinking to put those marked as favorites first. Like this you can get your top 10 contacts (around 10-12 contacts fit on a standard screen nowadays). So you will add the favorites from the webclient and they will be the first to be displayed in the presence on the app.

Super - thank you very much

 

[[email protected]]

Hey, long time 3CX user and evangelist. I hate PBX and I love 3cx, I even run a personal instance in Lightsail. Straight up you guys need to remove nb from a customer facing role. Talking to your customer base like this is a great way to push people to other platforms. If I was a new user and came to this thread and thought that nb represented how responsive 3CX was to their customers, I would RUN away from the platform. Seriously, I manage helpdesks and if I found out an employee of mine was interacting with our customers this way, they would be looking for work. Not kidding. Many of us rely on this feature for a number of reasons. If something is changing with Google push or something else, tell us why this is no longer feasible, but to basically say, "no you're all stupid and using the system wrong, there's no valid reason to do this..." is pretty stupid from a public relations standpoint.

 

[Evolute IT]

Plus remember - to update exchange you need a big effort - probably you need to buy 3 other products and setup 5 different servers and shut down for a month. to update 3CX, all you need to do is click a button

Oh, Exchange. A pain to manage and update. So true!

We want to address it.
We will solve this like this:
In the forwarding rules, we will have an option -
Away (Push)
Away (Push Disabled)

DND with Push
DND (Push Off)

this means that you can go on your client, and instead doing "exit without push" you will change your status and you can tell the server to Push you or not when you are dnd or away.

That would be perfect, so I guess they would be "Statuses"?

Straight up you guys need to remove nb from a customer facing role. Talking to your customer base like this is a great way to push people to other platforms. If I was a new user and came to this thread and thought that nb represented how responsive 3CX was to their customers, I would RUN away from the platform.

@nb is actually not that bad. I read the messages and I agree with him on a lot of things. He simply explained to @nobody why upgrades exist and why keeping a customer on old stuffs isn't the best option.

I agree that there are ways to tell things, but I do not think he stepped the line on this one.

 

[AWS2P]

same feeling as @[email protected] , just agressive speech even English is not my native language

 

[cjt]

After using Force Close, my 3cx mobile still rings. Has anyone else found this? Samsung Galaxy 10.