DLS HOSTED PBX ROADMAP

This roadmap is designed for IT planners, Value Added Resellers and others who are considering DLS Hosted PBX Service as means for business communications. It outlines the services presently available and planned through the end of the year 2018, beginning of 2019. This roadmap is an overview of features used by our development team for planning purposes. This information should not be construed as a guarantee or contract that a particular feature will be added to a particular release of the DLS Hosted PBX service or that such a release will occur on the date indicated.

Introduction

DLS Hosted PBX is a cloud-based Unified Communication service developed for general business operations and call centers. The service is positioned to offer maximum price-performance benefit in a maturing hosted business VoIP marketplace. Our development objectives are to keep DLS Hosted PBX:

• Feature Rich
• Integrated with common business applications
• Adaptable through application integration capabilities
• Cost Effective to both: end users and Value Added Resellers
• Evolutionary

DLS Hosted PBX service has been in development since 2004. In the March of 2011, DLS announced the 3.2 release of the DLS Hosted PBX Service. Standard service tiers include target clients with needs ranging up to 500 handsets. DLS Hosted PBX Software development model employs following release management labels:

• Code Branches for major Hosted PBX Service releases requiring service engine changes (version increments should be X.0.0)
• New Feature Additions within the same service engine (version increments 1.X.0)
• Labels for bug fixes and patches in the current release (version increments should be 1.0.X)

Product Roadmap Priorities for 2023- early 2024

1. Desktop Communicator and Cloud Softphone Faxing
2. Edit contact lists on Desktop Communicator and Cloud Softphone
3. Voicemail Transcription
4. Add whitelabel and multitenant support for RocketChat servers.
   
5. Add PBX functions to the Desktop Communicator and CloudSoftphone
   
6. Add provisioning support for new Polycom and Yealink phone models
7. Implement automatic speech recognition
   
8. Implement scheduled ACD queue agent logout
9. Bug fixes.

DLS Hosted PBX version 5.7 – Released October 15th, 2023

Training Video:

• DLS Hosted PBX 5.7 Upgrade Training Video

Feature Enhancements:

• API V1 is now an Admin API
  • Designed for system administration.
  • Added a new ‘SMS Subscribers’ endpoint that allows users to alter opt-in and opt-out lists through the Admin API.
• All new User API
  • Designed for user-level functions.
  • Documentation can be found in Support -> API (User).
• Call Routing
  • Added new call routing step to set the Ring Mode of a call.
• DLS Meeting Room
  • New audio-only meeting rooms.
  • Recurring meetings can now be scheduled for different days of the week.
  • Added an AI assistant feature.
• Database Access
  • Updated database schema documentation in HELP.
• Deprecated Software/Hardware
  • Printers: Removal of ‘Google Cloud Printer’ support. Google removed support for Google Cloud Printing, so we removed the ability to configure them.
• Desktop Communicator
  • New release of the DLS Desktop Communicator featuring MMS support and improved user interface.
  • Maintain support for the original version of the Desktop Communicator.
• Faxing
  • Included an option to choose fax quality when sending EFax. Default will always be high quality.
• Fixes
  • Numerous Bug Fixes.
• Handsets
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink VP95.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T58W.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T57W.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T54W.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T53W.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T53.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T53C.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T58A.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T42U.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T43U.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T46U.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T48U.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink EXP50 expansion module. Only the Yealink T53W, T54W, T57W, T58A and T58W handsets supprt this expansion module.
  • Added support for VVX450s to use the VVX EM50 Expansion Module.
  • Added functionality to stagger handset firmware updates, if needed.
  • Added support for Multicast paging with Yealink T series and Polycom VVX devices.
• Office Hours
  • Office Hours and Office Hours Groups are now managed on the same page.
• Predictive Dialer
  • Added an optional dial-on date field that tells the dialer to call specific contacts on a specific date.
• Reports
  • Updated Queue Service Level reports to show percentages in separate columns.
  • Login Log now shows authentication attempts to the User API
  • MMS messages from the Cloud Softphone now show correctly in reports.
  • Added a new SMS Detail Report, this report returns SMS/MMS size and type. The old Detail Report was renamed to Detail Report with Content, to view SMS message records.
  • The Change Log report now incorporates changes made through the User API
• SMS/MMS
  • SMS/MMS can now be provisioned using a step-by-step wizard. The Wizard enables SMS/MMS for a phone number, binds it to a user, and helps create and assign a brand and messaging campaign to the phone number.
  • Added support for SMS campaign opt-in subscription lists via the user interface or the Admin API.
  • Added regulatory compliance messaging for SMS campaigns to prompt users to opt in. More information at congress.gov.
  • Improved and simplified campaign and brand registration workflow by adding auto-fill and pre-filled prompts to the UI.
  • SMS/MMS is supported via the User API.
• Snapshots
  • A snapshot restore will trigger a backup first to allow configuration rollback in case of an unsuccessful restore.
• Support
  • Added interactive API documentation using Redocly in Support->API Documentation.
• UI Improvments
  • Renamed the Basic page to General Settings, System Basic settings can be found when editing a tenant.
  • Merged Tenants page with General Settings.
  • Updated UI for General Settings.
  • Bulk apply on Users > Call Recording page.
  • New UI for the contacts page.
• Under the Hood
  • Upgraded operating system.
  • Upgraded development platform.

DLS Hosted PBX version 5.6 – Released September 29th, 2021

Training Video:

• DLS Hosted PBX 5.6 Upgrade Training Video

Feature Enhancements:

• Contacts
  • Added the ability for users to edit BLF keys for mirror extensions.
  • Added the contact editor view.
  • Added vCard contact import and export.
  • Added contact details to store personal information about the contact.
  • Added custom line key support for select devices.
• Desktop Communicator
  • UI Overhaul.
  • Added Call forward and DND.
  • Added SMS support.
  • Added ability to show only monitored contacts in the favorites section
  • Added the ability to do a 3-way conference.
  • Added single click dialing ability to favorite and recent call logs.
  • Added the ability to listen to call recordings directly from recent call logs.
  • Added the ability to handle multiple calls and do attended transfer.
  • Added expedited STUN resolution to be able to make outgoing calls faster.
  • Added support to set Desktop Communicator as default app on MacOS.
• Devices
  • Added the ability to create multiple user devices simultaneously.
  • Added the ability to import multiple user devices via .CSV file.
  • Added the ability to see unused devices by highlighting them red.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T27G
• Feature Codes
  • Add the ability to press the # key to skip the ‘record a page’ instructions.
  • Add feature code for Meeting Room dialing.
• Meeting Room
  • Separated conferencing and Meeting room. Meeting Room has been moved to Apps → Meeting Rooms.
  • Updated Meeting Room version and interface.
  • Added the ability to schedule recurring meetings.
• Operator Panels
  • Enabled single sign-on for Operator Panels.
• Queues
  • Added queue callback support to queues. This allows users to give customers the option to get a call back instead of waiting in a queue.
  • Added a PBX setting to allow users to enter and leave individual queues.
• Reports
  • Added the ability to filter the `Call Routing` report based on call disposition.
• Routing Tree
  • Added the ability easily and visually differentiate between active and inactive office hours in call routing steps.
  • Added a hover tooltip to routing step links that display when the office hours are active
  • Added the new route step Progress which allow for the progress to be given to the calling channel.
  • Added the new route step Ringing which allow for the channel indicate a ringing tone to the user.
  • Added cause code options to Hangup route step.
• SMS
  • Added SMS unsubscriptions lists.
  • Added the ability to automatically add number that request STOP to be added to unsubscription lists
  • Added the ability to prevent users from texting unsubscribers
  • Added the ability to auto reply to numbers that make a STOP request, confirming their request.
• SalesForce
  • Added Salesforce Lightning integration.
  • Added support to allow adding new opportunities, leads, accounts in salesforce
  • Added support to allow saving the current call to opportunities, leads and accounts in salesforce
  • Added support in salesforce to allow searching contacts, opportunities, leads and accounts based on incoming/outgoing caller id
• Security Check
  • Admins may now force a sign-out of all extensions on the PBX, forcing each user to log back in.
• Users
  • Added support to set stun server for desktop communicator.
  • Added a separate section for Desktop communicator in Users → Preferences.
  • Passwords will be randomly generated for new users if the field is left blank by the admin.
  • Added the ability to resize the `Member of Groups` select field in Users → Preferences.
  • Added the ability for admins to force a user to sign out of all of their sessions and force them to log back in. (Does not sign out of desktop communicator)
  • AuthIDs will be randomly generated when creating new users or editing existing ones and they can no longer be manually set, this strengthens PBX security
  • Resetting a user’s password will now sign them out of all of their sessions and force them to log back in.
  • Added the ability to request a password reset for an extension from the PBX login interface.

DLS Hosted PBX version 5.5 – Released June 15th, 2020

Training Video:

• DLS Hosted PBX 5.5 Upgrade Training Video

Feature Enhancements:

• Chat
  • Updates to the chat rooms have been disabled in favor of the free to use Rocket.Chat server.
• Cloud Softphone (Apps –> Softphone –> Cloud Softphone)
  • Added Acrobit’s Mobile Cloud Softphone integration as an easy to use softphone available for free on iOS and Android devices.
  • Softphones will now default to use SRTP/TLS when selected for best results and stability.
• Handsets
  • Set the default codec for new users to G.722(HD)
  • Set newly configured extensions to use SRTP/TLS by default.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T41S
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T48S
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX101
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX150
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX201
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX250
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX301
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX311
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX350
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX401
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX411
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX450
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX501
  • Added provisioning support for the Polycom VVX601
  • All Polycom VVX handset firmware has been upgraded from 5.8.1 to 5.8.2.4732
• Navigation
  • Moved Apps → Conferencing to Status → Conferencing due to this page strictly showing the status of conferences.
  • Apps → Conferencing is now an alias of Users → Conferencing
• Operator Panels
  • Added the ability to preform attended transfers within Operator Panels.
  • Added the ability to view personal and global contact directories in operator panels.
  • Added the ability to preform transfers to extensions and phone numbers in the panel contact directory
• Rocket Chat
  • Added Rocket Chat PBX integration
• Web Softphone (Apps –> Softphone –> Web Softphone)
  • Redesigned user interface to be more modern and user friendly.
  • Added Redial functionality.
  • Added Voicemail with message waiting indicator (MWI).
  • Updated BLF and Presence functionality.
  • Added Mute functionality.
  • Added Hold functionality.
  • Added Do not disturb functionality.
  • Added Call forward functionality.
  • Added Call transfer functionality.
  • Added PBX Company, Personal, and Global Directory Contacts functionality.

DLS Hosted PBX version 5.4 – Released June 15th, 2018

Training Video:

• DLS Hosted PBX 5.4 Upgrade Training Video

Feature Enhancements:

• Call Parking
  • Added the ability to override music on hold on a per-parking lot basis.
• Call Recordings
  • Added a field to filter call recordings by user groups.
• Call Routing
  • Added the ability for the ‘Dial Outbound’ step to dial out using the matched extension pattern.
  • Added the ability for the ‘Dial Outbound’ step to automatically determine a suitable caller ID to use.
  • Added the ability for the ‘Dial Outbound’ step to use an anonymous caller ID.
  • Added the ability for the ‘Dial Outbound’ step to strip digits from the beginning or end of a matched extension pattern.
  • Added the ability for the ‘Dial Outbound’ step to optionally preserve the inbound caller ID when possible.
  • Added a new ‘Set Outbound Caller ID’ step that sets the outbound caller ID for the next ‘Dial Outbound’ step that utilizes automatic caller ID determination.
  • Added a new ‘Set Calling User’s Preference’ routing step that can configure the outbound caller ID of the user that placed the call.
• Chat
  • Jabber chat server stability has been improved.
• Fax
  • Added the option to strip signatures from emails prior to sending a fax.
  • Added support for fax cover letter templates.
• Handsets
  • Added provisioning support for the Cisco SPA8000.
  • Added a Cisco SPA provisioning URL generation tool to the System → Devices page to ease provisioning of those devices.
  • Added BLF keys to track queue agent status.
  • Added provisioning support for the Yealink SIP-T42S.
• Operator Panels
  • Added LDAP integration into the operator panels.
• Printers
  • Added the ability to link the PBX with Google Cloud Print printers.
  • Added the ability to schedule reports to printers.
  • Added the ability to have inbound and outbound faxes print to a printer.
  • Added the option to send fax delivery confirmations to a printer.
  • Added printer reporting, allowing users to view information about past print jobs.
  • API support for printers has been added. Developers can now view registered printers and pending jobs, as well as schedule new jobs through the API.
  • Added the ability to export reports to a printer.
• Reporting
  • Added the ability to export reports to additional file formats, such as PDF and Excel spreadsheet.
  • Added the ability to share reports via email.
• Short Message Service (SMS)
  • Added the option to strip signatures from emails prior to sending text messages.
  • Text messages will now be forwarded to mirror devices.
  • Text message email notifications will now include a link view the conversation in a browser.
  • Contacts are now mapped to the recipient list in Apps → SMS.
  • New contacts can be added in Apps → SMS by assigning a name to a recipient.
  • The ‘message_id’ field will now be returned in the API result set following a successful text message.
  • SMS queries through the API can now be filtered by individual SMS CDR IDs or a range of SMS CDR IDs.
  • The maximum results that can be returned from an SMS query through the API has been increased to 1000.
  • Toll-free numbers can now be enabled for SMS.
• Softphone
  • Added provisioning support for Bria 5.
• White Labeling
  • Added the ability to customize SMS and fax domains.
  • Added options to white label company information, such as company name, address, support email address, support phone number, etc.
  • Emails sent by the PBX are now in a standardized HTML format. The email header logo and certain information in the footer can be white labeled.
  • Emails sent by the PBX now include both a ‘view in browser’ link as well as an unsubscribe link. Email subscriptions can be managed at Support → Manage Email Subscriptions in the navigation menu.
  • All white label settings, except for handset logos, are now centralized into a single page for ease of configuration.
  • Tenants can now configure a small subset of white label settings, such as their domain. Previously all white label settings applied on a global basis. Per-tenant white label settings overriding can be toggled in a manner similar to that in System → Features.
  • User license count text in Users → Preferences can now be optionally hidden for non-default tenants.

Release Notes for Prior Versions