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 Cloud:

• 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

Although both systems provide a great business quality hosted phone system, which is better suited to your business? Both systems are hosted in one of Spitfire’s data network nodes and both are award winning in their own right – so how do you choose?

The main difference between the two solutions is the features that they offer:

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.

Spitfire are an award winning service provider with over a decade of experience providing SIP solutions and a preferred 3CX Platinum Partner. Spitfire are also the only UK based 3CX partner to offer 3CX as a Cloud solution delivered from our own dedicated SIP network with on-net SIP trunks. Our SIP trunks are fully interop tested and recommended by 3CX for UK businesses.

When using a Spitfire voice approved Ethernet or Broadband circuit, call quality from the handset to the PSTN network can be ensured at all times, making Spitfire one of the only providers to offer a fully owned end-to end solution with quality assurances.

Our dedicated and proactive Account Management means that you have a single point of contact to work in partnership with your business to help keep on top of your comms services and changing requirements. Our Account Managers are all technically trained with a minimum of CCENT qualification so that they can provide useful insight and relevant recommendations regarding your data network and connectivity. Our Account Management includes regular contact and account reviews, with a hands-on approach and personal touch.

Spitfire’s Support is carried out in-house by trained and qualified engineers and technicians. Spitfire boasts an award-winning Support team who are quick to react and will always aim to fix your fault on the first call. With a target of 15 seconds to answer the phone, we won’t leave you on hold if you have a technical issue.

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.