Switching from unsupported trunk to supported

[dmk_phone]

Hi -

We've gone through some IT changes and recently upgrade to V20. This thread identifies an issues we're running into, but the last posters request went unanswered:

https://www.3cx.com/community/threads/bug-v20-edit-trunk.127734/

Basically, we're using an unsupported SIP Trunk type we learned (Broadvoice). It's working, but we cannot edit it.

To edit it, we need to remove and re-add as a generic SIP provider. But if we do that, will it break everything? Getting an answer to the last posters question would be really helpful. Any pointers on extracting the "hidden" provider in 3CX before we delete it? I tried going in via SSH and grabbing the XML File but it was incomplete, i.e. we need all details and that would feel nice before deleting it.

Regarding the bigger picture, let's say we decide to move to a supported SIP provider. This means we'll have to work with them on porting over our numbers. What is the right way to do this so that there is no disruption in service, because porting over numbers is an odd waiting game. Would be ideal if it was automatic somehow? Is there a way to program in a new SIP provider and have it "take over" in some redundant fashion once the primary one goes dead (from porting the numbers over)? Looking for a smooth transition plan if anyones gone through this and can offer advise. Or point me to a thread where this has been answered already (if so, apologies - didn't find anything from a search).

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Many SIP trunk providers offer step-by-step assistance for the migration process (porting), and several even handle it directly within your phone system if you grant them access.

For example, a reseller I know very well is @ConceptsWeb, who resells SIP trunks from a North American provider whose model is supported by 3CX.
As 3CX Partners, they offer a turnkey solution that eliminates any concerns. They set everything up in parallel to ensure the smoothest possible transition. The biggest advantage is that you benefit from their extensive experience in transitions (portability), ready to tackle any challenge, and their deep knowledge of 3CX, with a reputation that speaks for itself.

Reach out to them and learn more about their turnkey services.
Contact them, and you’ll quickly see why they rank second, just behind the CEO of 3CX, in terms of highest reaction score !

@ConceptsWeb ,
I refer you without hesitation and without expecting anything in return; the priority is customer satisfaction, and I know you deliver it!​

 

[dmk_phone]

Ok but we aren't looking for a reseller or a consultant. Can someone that has been through this experience provide some ideas / best practices - thanks.

 

[moniputerPBX]

Ok but we aren't looking for a reseller or a consultant. Can someone that has been through this experience provide some ideas / best practices - thanks.

We switched from AT&T to Comcast in V18. First, we added the Comcast trunk with a new number and ran tests to validate incoming and outgoing calls were working. Once we were satisfied that the Comcast trunk was working, we added incoming rules for all of our existing numbers for Comcast and modified the outgoing rules to use AT&T first then Comcast.

Lastly, we filed the paperwork with Comcast to port the numbers and waited. Comcast setup a time to cutover and we simply tested that the calls we indeed coming in over the Comcast trunk then removed the inbound rules for AT&T and changed the outgoing rules.

Everything was seamless.

This was under V18 so I cannot speak to the process under V20.

 

[Guillaume Bourgeois]

Ok but we aren't looking for a reseller or a consultant. Can someone that has been through this experience provide some ideas / best practices - thanks.

I’ve experienced it myself.
Switch to a supported provider, and you won’t have this issue anymore.
Does the change carry the risk of temporary service downtime? Yes.
Is there a solution to anticipate ALL risks? No.

The solution will vary depending on your actual SIP trunk provider and new SIP Trunk provider.

The goal here is not to push you into using a consultant’s services; I’m telling you this to help.

I’m confident that if someone explains how, I could install my own ceramic flooring. But don’t you think there are many factors to consider to get a result that meets my expectations? I want my ceramic floor to be perfect, and I don’t want to have to redo it.
My neighbor did it on his own, so I can definitely do it too!

Personally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable advising you, given the numerous factors that could cause issues. And if problems arise, obviously, you might blame me or 3CX…

We’re talking about the routing of inbound and outbound calls, considering elements like CIDs, DIDs, CallerID, CNAM (if applicable), schedules, holidays, redundancy, emergency numbers, and much more!
It’s a complex task even for someone with experience.

Do both the old and new providers use the E.164 format?
If yes, and your previous provider doesn’t support rInstance…
If not, you might encounter issues if the same DID is configured twice, even if they both route to the same destination.

So yes, you can do it yourself, but be prepared to accept that the work comes with risks, and the person advising you could overlook certain factors.

 

[dmk_phone]

We switched from AT&T to Comcast in V18. First, we added the Comcast trunk with a new number and ran tests to validate incoming and outgoing calls were working. Once we were satisfied that the Comcast trunk was working, we added incoming rules for all of our existing numbers for Comcast and modified the outgoing rules to use AT&T first then Comcast.

Lastly, we filed the paperwork with Comcast to port the numbers and waited. Comcast setup a time to cutover and we simply tested that the calls we indeed coming in over the Comcast trunk then removed the inbound rules for AT&T and changed the outgoing rules.

Everything was seamless.

This was under V18 so I cannot speak to the process under V20.

thank you, so you did it basically the manual way. Waited for the port to complete, then did the cutover. That is fine of course. Was just looking to see if there was an automatic way somehow.

 

[dmk_phone]

I’ve experienced it myself.
Switch to a supported provider, and you won’t have this issue anymore.
Does the change carry the risk of temporary service downtime? Yes.
Is there a solution to anticipate ALL risks? No.

The solution will vary depending on your actual SIP trunk provider and new SIP Trunk provider.

The goal here is not to push you into using a consultant’s services; I’m telling you this to help.

I’m confident that if someone explains how, I could install my own ceramic flooring. But don’t you think there are many factors to consider to get a result that meets my expectations? I want my ceramic floor to be perfect, and I don’t want to have to redo it.
My neighbor did it on his own, so I can definitely do it too!

Personally, I wouldn’t feel comfortable advising you, given the numerous factors that could cause issues. And if problems arise, obviously, you might blame me or 3CX…

We’re talking about the routing of inbound and outbound calls, considering elements like CIDs, DIDs, CallerID, CNAM (if applicable), schedules, holidays, redundancy, emergency numbers, and much more!
It’s a complex task even for someone with experience.

Do both the old and new providers use the E.164 format?
If yes, and your previous provider doesn’t support rInstance…
If not, you might encounter issues if the same DID is configured twice, even if they both route to the same destination.

So yes, you can do it yourself, but be prepared to accept that the work comes with risks, and the person advising you could overlook certain factors.

Thanks. We're talking about an IT skill here, not construction. Apples to oranges I'm afraid but thanks for the analogy. 3CX is within the realm of "DIY" and not overly complicated - I suspect people have gone through this before and was just curious on their experiences. I appreciate your forethought into things that may fail and also your concern about reputation (blame, etc) but in the spirit of DIY (which is kind of what 3CX is) I'm just interested in learning something.

 

[moniputerPBX]

thank you, so you did it basically the manual way. Waited for the port to complete, then did the cutover. That is fine of course. Was just looking to see if there was an automatic way somehow.

By setting up the inbound rules for Comcast ahead of the day of porting, we didn't need to do anything. It would have just worked.

Also, in V18 it was easy to export the rules, copy and paste with the Comcast trunk ID then import. I am not sure if this is possible with V20.

 

[dmk_phone]

By setting up the inbound rules for Comcast ahead of the day of porting, we didn't need to do anything. It would have just worked.

Also, in V18 it was easy to export the rules, copy and paste with the Comcast trunk ID then import. I am not sure if this is possible with V20.

Hm. Interesting, I'm just not getting something or I'm missing some key detail. Maybe Guillaume was right all along lol.

Like how did it know to auto-switch to the new provider once the numbers were ported??

 

[moniputerPBX]

Hm. Interesting, I'm just not getting something or I'm missing some key detail. Maybe Guillaume was right all along lol.

Like how did it know to auto-switch to the new provider once the numbers were ported??

You don't need to auto-switch anything. If 3CX finds a rule for a DID on the incoming trunk, then it will route the call.

 

[dmk_phone]

Right - but I can't even log into the trunk configuration as it's configured as an unsupported trunk type. I have read through the thread mentioned above, that there is a way to delete the trunk and re-add it as a 3rd party but I need to know how to extract the configuration from that trunk first. Can anyone help with a tip there? I can ssh in and grab a file perhaps?

 

[dmk_phone]

But maybe it doesn't matter. I just configure the new trunk type (supported) and set it's call group and once the number ports it should auto-function.