PortaSwitch, the versatile communication platform from PortaOne, continues to expand with a range of exciting new features and benefits added every seven weeks. Watch our recent live webinar to learn how all the key enhancements from our latest three releases can help you do better business, including more advanced call center functionality, improvements to the user experience, new SMS notifications, a mobile self-care portal, and streamlined administrative tasks that will make life easier for your team. We’ll also explore a revamped web interface for resellers, simplified server access management, improved troubleshooting capabilities, and convenient bulk extension creation using the PortaBilling API. Finally, our team will tell you about new developments with PortaPhone, and some exciting new modules that are now available on the Add-on Mart.
Join us as we explore these innovations and their potential to revolutionize your communication workflows. Click play to get started, or read on for the webinar highlights!
Webinar Summary
Don’t have time to watch the whole video? Read on for a run-down on the top new PortaSwitch features, new developments with PortaPhone, and some exciting recent Add-on Mart modules, including an SMS payment alert module and a brand-new mobile self-care portal.
The Top 6 PortaSwitch New Features
1. Advanced call queue management for call centers
A standout feature in the latest PortaSwitch releases is an enhanced call queue management system. Designed specifically for call centers and cloud PBX customers, this feature addresses queue overflow and improves the caller experience.
Up to now, when a cloud contact center call queue reached its participant limit or a caller did not want to wait on hold any longer, the call was simply disconnected. Now, PBX administrators have the ability to set up an extra action for when a queue is full or when a caller has been waiting in a queue for a specified period of time. Options for extra actions are also available for when the system attempts to connect a call and no agent picks up.
Options for these additional actions include sending the call to voicemail, transferring to a specific extension or hunt group, redirecting the call to another call queue, or returning to the main menu. For example, depending on the administrator’s settings, when a caller has been on hold for, say, ten minutes, they can hear a prompt apologizing for the wait, and offering the options to either leave a voicemail message, or to return to the main menu. Standard prompts come built in, or the administrator can upload custom prompts of their choosing. This flexibility empowers administrators to create a more tailored and sophisticated call queue system and allows businesses to offer a much better user experience.
2. Improved web interface for resellers
Starting from MR104, PortaSwitch has a new self-care web interface for resellers that leverages the same modern design and functionality of the administrative interface. This new interface is much faster, particularly for companies who have a large number of customer records. With its improved performance and contemporary aesthetics, the new reseller web interface makes it easier to onboard and attract resellers, expanding your sales channels.
3. Management of server access via the configuration server
We heard from administrators that managing server access via the IP tables can be challenging when a company is running PortaSwitch on a large number of servers. (In fact, “it can become a nightmare.”) So, we have greatly simplified the process: management of IP address access is now available on the configuration server, via the web interface.
This means that, starting from MR104, administrators can define access rules from a single central point, which are then automatically propagated to the IP tables on each server. Even better, if, in the future, a service provider adds more servers or reinstall a server from scratch, the rules that have been defined on the configuration server will be applied automatically. These changes simplify server access management, accelerate the management process, and ensure consistency across the installation.
Additionally, from MR106, PortaSwitch now has auto-detection for new servers. Whether you’re scaling your installation to handle increased capacity or implementing site redundancy, any new servers running PortaSwitch software will be automatically detected and added to the configuration server. In previous versions, adding new servers to the configuration server involved manual specification of IP addresses, forcing administrators to add them one by one. Now, a single click on the configuration server triggers a scan of the local network, allowing you to add multiple new servers to the configuration. This enhancement streamlines the installation and configuration process, reducing the time and effort required for your engineers to perform these tasks.
4. Easier troubleshooting of disconnected and failed calls
PortaSwitch now offers improved troubleshooting capabilities for call disconnections and the disconnection of internet sessions. When a call fails, the SIP error message is stored in the XDRs and the SIP log for troubleshooting purposes. However, many networks still use the Q.931 disconnect cause codes, which can create extra work for administrators when they are trying to understand the cause of the disconnection. Starting from MR104, PortaSIP now respects all Q.931 cause codes, and stores those codes in the XDR so they can be viewed later. The cause codes will also be visible in the SIP log. Even better, the mapping from those Q.931 cause codes to the SIP errors now follows standard RFC requirements rather than using any proprietary mapping, allowing for easier visibility for administrators.
5. Ability to end active internet sessions
Troubleshooting has also been simplified for ongoing internet sessions that need to be disconnected, say, for example, if an account is being terminated. This feature, which was previously only available for voice calls, allows internet sessions that are in progress at the termination point of an account to be closed, so they can be captured and billed rather than lost. Administrators also have multiple options when they need to terminate an account, including disconnecting the session or blocking the account to prevent automatic re-connection.
6. Improvements to the PortaSwitch API
The latest releases of PortaSwitch come with several enhancements to the API. Starting from MR104, developers now have an easier way to test PortaBilling API methods. When a developer wants to test an API method from a specific realm (such as using the system as an administrator or as a reseller), they can log in to the PortaBilling web interface, switch to the built-in API documentation page, and test the method right away, with no need to run the “session/login” request with the corresponding credentials. Even better, they no longer need to enter an access token: the process is done automatically. This streamlined process makes it easier and faster to create integrations and new PortaBilling capabilities.
Our new API is also making work easier for your PBX customers, who can now add new employee phone extensions in bulk simply by uploading a .csv file. The file can be uploaded via your self-care portal, and, soon, also via the PortaOne cloud PBX self-care portal. All of the extensions in the file will be created at once in PortaBilling, and an account will be generated automatically for each one.
Finally, our call control API is now available in site-redundant PortaSwitch. This API, allows users to manage and monitor their calls using external applications, such as a web dialer, an operator console or a CRM system with click-to-call. What this means is that, thanks to this added redundancy, these applications can be used even if the main site goes offline for any reason – ensuring that your customers can always access their services 24/7.
New Updates to PortaPhone
Our latest enhancements also go far beyond PortaSwitch. You may already know that PortaPhone comprises a web dialer and a mobile application, but you might not be aware that these components share a common core that’s responsible for critical functionalities such as user authentication, contact synchronization, WebRTC protocol implementation, and push notifications for mobile devices. With the flexibility of the PortaPhone API, you can revolutionize your communication services by embedding WebRTC calling into your CRMs, applications, and websites. PortaPhone also features our custom BSS Adapter – a powerful tool for maintaining compatibility when your clients or acquired businesses use different VoIP systems. When a user logs into the softphone app or PortaPhone Web dialer, their requests are seamlessly transmitted to the PortaPhone backend, which leverages the adapter to communicate with your BSS or hosted PBX system. This two-way communication ensures that your customers are authenticated against your own VoIP system, enabling their outgoing calls to be routed through it. Additionally, they retain access to essential features such as call history and other necessary functionalities.
Plus, PortaPhone is now available for both iOS and Android, which means you can list it under your own company name on both the Google and Apple marketplace. And, thanks to our new interface configurator, you can offer a fully branded team communications platform that is integrated into your own custom enterprise packages. A free trial is available on the Add-on Mart so you can test it for yourself.
New Add-on Mart Modules
Finally, if you offer mobile services (or wish you could) you definitely want to check out the PortaOne Add-on Mart application marketplace for all the latest additions.
One of the most exciting new applications on the Add-on Mart is an SMS billing alert module. SMS notifications have become one of the most important tools for improving your cash flow by speeding up payment responses from your customers and even reducing late payments. (Studies have shown that SMS alerts can lower the incidence of late payments by up to 37%, and reduce the lag between bill and payment by up to two weeks!) This module is available right now on the Add-on Mart, and it integrates seamlessly with Twilio for efficient SMS delivery – all you need to do is set up a Twilio account. This is an improvement over the existing SMS delivery functionality in PortaSIP, as it does not require advanced support or testing from a trained engineer to set up or manage – in fact, it can be launched in a few minutes. Simply contact our team using the link below to start a free three-month trial, or to discuss integrations with an alternative SMS wholesale provider of your choice.
We are also very pleased to announce a new mobile self care portal that is also now available via the Add-on Mart. Today’s mobile customers want a simple, self-directed way to check their balances, top up their accounts, upgrade their packages or subscribe to new bundles and services, but many providers do not have the time or resources to develop and deploy such an application themselves. Our new mobile self-care portal removes that barrier, giving you an easy and instant way to offer your existing mobile customers more power over their accounts, or even to launch a brand-new mobile service with that feature built right in. Your customers can use the portal via any mobile device, and you can start offering it right away just by subscribing via the Add-on Mart. Stay tuned for more functionality to be added to the mobile self-care portal soon (and don’t forget to contact us if there is a specific feature you would like to see added).
Other new Add-on Mart modules include advanced call analytics and reporting tools, simplified tax assessment and reporting via CSI for US businesses, and integration with popular customer relationship management (CRM) platforms. The rapidly expanding range of add-on modules available on the Add-on Mart will allow you to tailor PortaSwitch to your specific needs, so you can offer the most value to your specific customers.
If you want to know more about any of the new features and enhancements in the latest releases of PortaSwitch – or if you have an idea for a future feature that could improve the way you do business, Get in touch with our support team anytime. You can reach us at contact@portaone.com.
