Auto-provisioning for more IP phone models
With this release, you can offer new IP phone models to your cloud PBX customers, with auto-provisioning ensuring a quick and hassle-free setup. PortaSwitch supports auto-provisioning for new IP phone models, including:
- Polycom VVX411
- Polycom VVX410
- Polycom VVX250
Auto-provisioning for these IP phone models is available via the Add-on Mart and requires an active subscription to the corresponding Add-on Mart modules.
Cloud PBX customers can also easily set up programmable phone keys on these Polycom IP phones without contacting support and apply the settings to multiple devices at once. Whether it’s for monitoring extensions (BLF), parking calls, or speed dialing, they can configure these keys directly from a self-care portal like CloudPBX Self-Care Portal (accessible via the Add-on Mart) or from your own portal using the PortaBilling API.
Additionally, for IP phone models already supported for auto-provisioning, such as the Yealink SIP-T46U and SIP-T43U, you can allow your customers to self-provision features like programmable phone keys and access to corporate phone books through the self-care portal.
Service providers can offer a more competitive cloud PBX service that supports a wider variety of IP phone models.
Set call queue parameters in seconds
With this release, callers spend less time waiting in the call queue, as PBX admins can now set the waiting time (the Maximum waiting time option) in seconds instead of minutes. This allows callers to hear messages about alternative actions faster, improving their overall experience.
Additionally, the average handle time for the call (the Average handle time option) can now also be set in seconds, allowing more precise calculations of the estimated wait time. However, to keep communication concise, callers still hear the announcement in minutes. For instance, if the estimated wait time is calculated as 173 seconds, it is announced as 3 minutes.
Callers can also hear more frequent updates about their position in the queue. The Announcements interval option can now be set in seconds, allowing updates to be played as often as every 30 seconds, instead of several minutes. The default value remains at 300 seconds.
PBX admins can configure these options on the Call Queue page in the customer self-care portal implemented using the PortaBilling API (will be available in the CloudPBX Self-Care Portal in future versions). The values for these call queue options configured prior to MR121 are automatically converted from minutes to seconds.
- Hear their position in the queue every half a minute. John has to set 30 for the Announcements interval option.
- Leave a voicemail after waiting in the queue for 150 seconds (2.5 minutes). John has to set 150 for the Maximum waiting time option.
- Service providers can offer flexible call queue configuration.
- Cloud PBX and call center customers can set up more user-friendly call queues.
Update faster: migrate customers first, xDRs later
When you update your system from one release to another (like from MR100 to MR115) with the Dual Version PortaSwitch solution, the customers, accounts, and their data are transferred from the old version to the new one. For large customers, e.g., those with thousands of accounts, the transferred data may include a significant number of xDRs, which can result in lengthy processing and longer downtime.
Now, you can choose to postpone or even skip transferring xDRs during the migration of customers.
Let’s say Owl Telecom is planning a Dual Version migration to update their system from MR100 to MR115. During the Dual Version deployment and provisioning the MR100 system database is copied to the MR115 system on April 20. Two weeks later, on May 4, they agree to transfer a large customer – ABC Company – to the MR115 system. Between April 20 and May 4, thousands of xDRs (e.g., call and internet usage records) are generated for ABC Company’s accounts. These records need to be transferred to ensure accurate invoice generation at the end of the billing period and to allow users to access their service usage history.
To speed up the migration and minimize downtime for ABC Company, Owl Telecom decides to transfer only the xDRs from the current billing period (May 1 to May 4) along with the customer data and proceeds with the next large customer. The remaining xDRs from the earlier period (April 20 to April 30) are migrated without downtime on May 15, while the customer is already using the services on the new system.
Avoid delays in transferring large customers, keep downtime to a minimum, and speed up the migration for all customers.
The option to postpone/skip xDR transfer is available for Dual Version “jumps” from MR100-6.
Web interface changes
Visual indication for an account with an assigned DID number
Previously, accounts with assigned DID numbers were not visually marked on the PortaBilling web interface. Now, when DID numbers are provisioned to customers as accounts or account aliases, admins can quickly identify these accounts without opening their details. For instance, when filtering a specific customer’s accounts to troubleshoot inbound call issues, those that are externally reachable via a DID number are marked with the corresponding icon next to the account ID, making it easier to spot and manage.
Additionally, hovering over the account ID reveals a tooltip that explains if a specific account has a DID number assigned – “This account has a DID assigned”.
Admins save time on managing DID accounts.
More admin control when disabling invoicing
An admin can select the “Do not create an invoice” option for a specific customer or a customer class to prevent the system from issuing new regular invoices. However, since this option disables the invoice template, it also makes it impossible to reissue existing invoices – including those under review. To inform admins of this limitation, a warning is now displayed on the admin web UI.
If the option to review and approve invoices before they are sent to customers is used and the admin disables invoicing, the following actions will be available for invoices under review:
- They will be voided
- They will be automatically approved after the “Hold for review” period (the admin should clear the Void all invoices “Under review” checkbox to allow this)
Admins gain more control when managing invoice settings and can avoid unexpected issues.
