3CX is extremely feature rich with all the expected features included ‘out of the box’. This means you can keep the set-up as simple as you need it to be initially and then expand later without paying for licence upgrades or expensive add-on packs.

Spitfire will always aim to deploy the most up to date software version of 3CX, ensuring that you have the latest system on an ongoing basis and benefit from any enhancements launched – all included within the same simple monthly rental charge.

Some of the most common features are listed below, but please speak to a member of our Sales Team for more information on 3CX Hosted:

• Call Management/Routing (e.g. transfer, forward, hold, park/pickup)
• Auto Attendant / Digital Receptionist
• Voicemail / Music on Hold
• Compatible for handsets, softphones and mobile apps
• Call Twinning (Ring Extension & Mobile Simultaneously)
• Call Reporting
• Call Queuing with Real Time statistics, monitoring and reports
• Call Recording (if PCI compliance/MiFID II is required, please call to discuss our bolt-on solution)
• Configure BLF’s on handsets/softphones
• Unified Communications (presence, chat)
• Voice Mail via Email
• Conference Calls
• Barge In / Listen In / Whisper
• Wallboard
• Integration with popular applications (includes Office 365, Salesforce and many more)
• Clients for Android, IOS, Windows, Mac, Web

In order to make or receive a call, your handset needs to connect to the caller via the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network). Spitfire has a unique place in the market as we are the only UK based 3CX Partner to support the full journey of a call as a complete on-net cloud solution.

At the heart of the Spitfire 3CX Cloud service is the Spitfire SIP network; a network isolated from the public Internet and purely dedicated to SIP voice traffic with a direct interconnect to the PSTN. The Spitfire 3CX Cloud core system is hosted in a Spitfire protected data network node where it connects directly to the Spitfire SIP network. This means minimal hardware at the customer site.

Spitfire 3CX Cloud uses Spitfire SIP trunks to connect to the PSTN, included at no extra cost within the monthly extension rental charge.

Finally, Spitfire recommend a secure data connection (either a Spitfire Voice Approved DSL or a Converged Ethernet circuit), where the call will be delivered to the handset or soft-phone to complete the route from the PSTN to your employees.

All handsets are pre-configured by our engineers and are set up on a ‘plug-and-play’ basis to make self-installation simple. We can also provide on-site installation if required.

Each employee will have their own extension on the system, with all management being controlled on Spitfire’s network. This makes add-ons simple and lead times short, with handsets sent out pre-configured and ready to plug in and use immediately.

• Feature rich system – all features included so no expensive add-ons if your programming requirements change
• Scalability – the system grows with your business so you can add extensions as and when you need to
• Flexibility of location – work from anywhere using the 3CX soft-phone on your laptop or the 3CX app on your smart phone. Home workers and remote sites all link to the one system so distributed ring groups can be set up across multiple geographic locations over just one core system
• Easy price model – recurring monthly rental, cheap phone calls and one provider for easy billing
• Free calls between extensions – remote workers, travelling staff and inter-office calls all done via internal extension numbers
• Cut travel costs with web conferencing as an included feature – this will also save you time allowing you to host web meetings and enjoy face-to-face communication
• Integrated 3CX soft-phone and smartphone apps mean that users can take their extension with them and stay connected, increasing productivity and keeping mobile phone costs low with free calls back to the office
• Unified Communications – employees can view the status of other colleagues to avoid unnecessary call transfers which irritate customers
• Integration with Office 365 and many CRM Applications

Both are based on the award winning 3CX telephone system software, with the only difference being in how the system is deployed and subsequently managed/supported and the cost model.

3CX Cloud is for businesses looking for low (or even no!) up front costs and then an easy per extension monthly rental.  This is a fully managed and supported solution that can be scaled up and down very easily.

3CX Hosted is generally provided to larger businesses.  Generally there are more set up charges for both the system and associated SIP trunks, but then potentially a lower ongoing system rental.  The PBX software can be installed either on to a dedicated server or a Virtual Machine instance depending on requirements. Full management access can be provided if required for companies with the relevant in-house experience to make changes.

3CX can also be provided as an on-premise solutions

Please speak to your Account Manager or a member of our Sales Team who will discuss your requirements and recommend the correct option for your business.

With speeds of up to 80Mb VDSL Fibre Broadband is an ideal solution for businesses running bandwidth-hungry applications while on a tight budget, as the additional bandwidth provided by fibre broadband will help reduce download/upload times.

Fibre broadband is also the ideal facilitator when moving services to the cloud as these hosted services become much easier to access with the enhanced speeds provided by Spitfire’s fibre broadband solution.

Finally if you are after a fast and reliable connection for your working from home set-up then fibre broadband is the ideal choice.  Don’t let your data connection hold you back!

On the 3rd January 2018 the Financial Conduct Authority launched the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) in what has been considered the biggest shakeup in the Financial Services industry in a decade.

What is MiFID II?

Firms in the financial sector are now held to new regulations on any conversation or electronic communication relating/leading to trading activity. Firms are required to capture and appropriately store communication including emails, fixed and mobile telephone calls, SMS and face to face meetings. Failure to comply could lead to financial penalties of up to 10% of global turnover.

Overview of telephony regulations

• All calls relating to financial trade must be recorded (including internal calls)
• Calls must be retained for 5-7 years
• Access to call recordings must be restricted, monitored, auditable and the data must be encrypted
• Calls must be searchable by date/time, extension and outbound CLI
• If mobile devices cannot be appropriately secured then they must not be used for any conversation regarding a financial trade

Spitfire provide an option for encrypted call recording on 3CX Cloud which meets MiFID compliance from a telephony point of view.  This is all based on a simple monthly rental.