Switchvox version 7.3.1 brings several new features to Switchvox Cloud. This document provides an overview of these new features and links to additional articles which may be of interest.

As some of the features include changes in the Switchboard, we recommend that users clear the web browser cache before logging into the Switchboard or the Admin interface.

D-Phones should continue to work without intervention following the maintenance window. The new Switchvox version includes updated firmware for D-Phones: version 1.12.1 for the D80 and 2.9.2 for other models. Following the update, if you find that you are having difficulty either placing/receiving calls or with phone apps such as Visual Voicemail, then please reboot the phone to update the configuration and ensure the device has the latest firmware.

Emergency Dialing Notifications
Introducing: Switchvox Desktop Softphone
Assign a Desktop Softphone to a User
Important Information for a Softphone that is Logged Out
Desktop Softphone Instructions for Users
Notes regarding Desktop Softphone
Conference Calls
Music on Hold
Easy Call Pickup
Switchboard Updates
Digium IP Phone Updates
 

Emergency Dialing Notifications

Switchvox Cloud running version 7.3.1 or later is configured so that when a user dials 911, a notification is sent to the email address(es) specified by your company administrators.

Please review the Switchvox Cloud Emergency Dialing Notifications article for more information and instructions needed to make modifications to the distribution of those Emergency Dialing Notification emails.
 

Introducing: Switchvox Desktop Softphone

Assign a Desktop Softphone to a User

To manage the phone that a person uses, use the Manage Phones tool. This tool let you assign a phone to the person's Main extension, and also lets you create Additional extensions for that person and manage the phones on those extensions.

If the person doesn't already have a SIP Phone extension, create an extension for them, then use the Manage Phones tool for that new extension. (This can all be done by any Switchvox administrator who has permission to modify extensions.)

Open Setup > Extensions: Manage, to create extensions and find the Manage Phones tool for an extension.

Find the extension in the list (you can search in the upper right), and click on its Manage Phones action.

In the Manage Phones tool, you can assign a Switchvox Desktop Softphone for the Main extension OR for one of the person's additional phone extensions. A person with multiple phone extensions only needs one that is a desktop softphone.

Important Information for a Softphone that is Logged Out

When a user is logged out of the app (until they log into the app), the following is true:

• No outgoing calls can be made. This includes emergency calls.

• No incoming calls or pages can be received. This includes emergency calls and pages.

A user may not be able to log into the app for various reasons (a Desktop Softphone assignment does not exist, extension and password do not match, the Switchvox Subscriptions are expired, etc.).

Desktop Softphone Instructions for Users

Instructions for a phone-user with a desktop softphone:

• Download the macOS or Windows app (links provided by your Switchvox Administrator).

• In the app, indicate your Switchvox Cloud URL (e.g., yourcompanyurl.digiumcloud.net).

• Log in using your Main extension number, and password for web tool access (this password can be changed in the Profile Information of a phone extension in the Switchvox Web Suite). 

• To ring your desktop softphone on incoming calls, use the Switchvox web suite to navigate to Features > Call Rules, and modify your Call Rules as appropriate. 

• The phone uses your computer's sound settings for the audio input and output devices.

• Important: if you are running a firewall application on your computer, you may need to allow incoming connections in the firewall, to ensure that calling works.

A handy one-page Quick Start Guide is available for phone users to understand the features of the phone. And, the Switchvox Training area in digium.com includes a how-to video for the desktop softphone and videos for other Switchvox tools. 

Notes regarding Desktop Softphone

• The Switchvox Desktop Softphone manages up to 2 calls. If you already have 2 calls active, a third incoming call is ignored, so that your Call Rule Actions are followed as if you had not answered the call.

• Some features available on a desktop Digium IP Phone are not included in the Desktop Softphone. Assisted transfer, transfer to voicemail, dial voicemail, a Conference button on an active call (conference extensions can be dialed), a Park button on an active call (blind transfer can be used to transfer to a parking lot), voicemail folders, voicemail toggle read/unread, contact details including profile pictures and monitor and intercom actions, status indicator items in favorites (agent login, and parking space), and custom ringtones and ring rules, and alternate host. Others cannot intercom to the phone.

• In the Connection Status phones list, the desktop softphone is displayed with a blank IP address. 

Conference Calls

Switchvox’s Meet Me Conference feature is now expanded with a set of tools for managing the conference. You can join your conference in one click, see participants in the conference call (your Switchvox coworkers and outside callers), see who is talking, mute people, and remove people from the conference. This is offered as a Switchboard widget, and an app on the D80 model Digium IP Phone. These apps can use your existing or newly created Meet Me Conference extensions and rooms.

Switchboard Conference Widget

D80 Conference App

Music on Hold

In past versions, conference calls and parking lots always used the default Music on Hold group. In your updated version of Switchvox, a specific Music on Hold group can be used in those areas. NOTE: Music on Hold options can be added by your company's Switchvox administrator in Tools > Music on Hold. However, putting them into effect will require a Software Restart which must be performed by contacting Support.

• For each extension, use the Features > Conference Room to set a specific group.

• The Switchvox administrator can set a specific group for each Parking Lot extension, and each Simple Conference Room extension.

Easy Call Pickup

Digium IP Phones offer easy Call Pickup for other’s incoming calls:

• Custom ringtone for other’s incoming calls

• D6x-series rapid dial item offers long-press to answer

• D80 activity card offers one-tap answer

These notices can be turned off from the D80 itself. Under the Call Answering settings, turn Display Call Pickup Notices to OFF. This setting is not controlled in the Switchvox web suite.

Call Pickup is managed by a Switchvox administrator, and uses a new setting in the Switchvox administrator’s web suite, the Directed Pickup Ringtone setting found on SIP Phone extensions, under Digium Phones:Contact Settings. For instructions, see Call Pickup for Digium Phones.

Switchboard Updates

• Queue Member Activity and Queue Overview widgets have a new setting available, allowing you to "Only show logged in Members." This setting is off by default.

• Switchboard has a visual change, with some elements updated to be more consistent with the appearance of Digium IP Phone model D80 and the Switchvox Softphone for mobile. If a user reports not seeing this expected difference, then the browser’s cache will need to be refreshed.These images show the old and new My Calls widget.

Digium IP Phone Updates

• The Call Log app is now served by Switchvox (rather than managed on the phone), so that phones now retain a Call Log after a restart. Also, for a phone user with multiple Digium Phones, the Call Log entries will now be shared across phones. (However, missed calls are still identified as such for each phone that does not answer the call.)

• Digium Phone firmware is updated: 2.9.2 (D6X) and 1.12.1 (D80).

If you have questions about these changes, or encounter any problems with your service after the maintenance period, please contact Digium Technical Support toll-free at 1-877-392-4005.

Internal Comments

Cloud TLS/SRTP

This option is available in the cloud per customer request. We do not market this feature as it can limit our troubleshooting options.
if the customer request enable TLS/SRTP here is the procedure:

1. Update the case Subject to Enable TLS <DCS hostname> 

2. Send an email to the customer with the template Enabling TLS For Cloud, the purpose of the email is that the customer must understand that with TLS enable, we won't be able to review historical calls so we can troubleshoot issues as TLS essentially render our SIP capture system inactive. 

3. Upon customer response via email escalate the case to MOD.

4. One MOD confirms that TLS has been enable on the system, please inform the customer that they can enable TLS by going  Setup > Extensions > Manage >  Extension Action: Modify > Phone Settings > Advanced > SIP Transport > (Drop down menu)

STEPS on how to enable TLS.

Please note that in order to execute these steps, you are required to have SSH access to cloud systems. 

1. SSH into the customer instance ssh root@hotname.digiumcloud.net

2. Confirm TLS is currently disabled with a value of 1 returning from the command:  psql asterisk postgres -c "SELECT * FROM registry WHERE key = 'disable_dcs_tls'"

3.  After confirm that it has a value of 1, change the value to 0 to enable it: psql asterisk postgres -c "UPDATE registry SET value = '0' WHERE key = 'disable_dcs_tls'"

4. confirm TLS is now enabled with a value of 0 returning from the command: psql asterisk postgres -c "SELECT * FROM registry WHERE key = 'disable_dcs_tls'"