Voicemail-to-text
Convert eligible voicemail audio into readable text for faster review.
Conversation intelligence for 3CX
3CX AI Transcription for Calls, Summaries and Sentiment
Turn eligible voicemails and recorded calls into searchable text, concise summaries, sentiment indicators, and reporting inputs—with a provider and deployment model selected for your policy, volume, language, and budget.
3CX AI
Voicemail-to-text
Searchable call text
Automatic summaries
Sentiment indicators
What transcription provides
Make permitted conversations easier to review and use
Capabilities depend on the selected edition, provider, language, recording configuration, and processing path.
Recorded-call transcription
Create text from calls that are recorded and enabled for the applicable transcription path.
Searchable call text
Find and review conversation content without replaying every minute of audio.
Automatic summaries
Generate concise call summaries for supported, configured transcription workflows.
Speaker identification
Use stereo processing and diarization where supported to distinguish participants.
Sentiment indicators
Add sentiment signals to supported call records and reporting views for responsible review.
Operational reports
Enrich reports across call logs, extensions, queues, and ring groups.
Quality sampling
Sample transcriptions and summaries to assess language, audio, and business-context performance.
Separate the use cases
Voicemail, full calls, summaries, sentiment, and reporting are not the same feature
Voicemail transcription
Processes voicemail recordings into text through an eligible provider and edition path.
Full-call transcription
Generally requires a recorded call plus the applicable edition, provider, and department, user, queue, or ring-group configuration.
Summaries
Use the generated transcript to create a shorter account of the conversation where supported.
Sentiment analytics
Adds a model-generated indicator for review; it should not be treated as an infallible judgment.
Reporting
Surfaces configured transcript, summary, and sentiment data in relevant call-log and operational views.
Transcription options
Compare provider and infrastructure paths
ECOLOR confirms the exact edition, SC threshold, language, account, and cost path in the current technical sizing.
| Transcription options | License and capacity | Account and charges | Processing model | Best fit and limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3CX Cloud Transcription | Required 3CX editionENT/AI for voicemail; ENT+ for call transcriptionMinimum SCENT+ call transcription at 8SC+ | External accountNo separate provider accountProvider chargesIncluded usage is confirmed in the current quotation | Cloud or self-hosted3CX-managed cloudData-processing pathAudio is processed through the 3CX cloud transcription serviceInfrastructureNo separate customer GPU server | Ideal use caseManaged transcription with a simpler infrastructure pathImportant limitationCurrent package, included minutes, languages, and usage terms must be confirmed |
| Self-hosted 3CX Transcription Engine | Required 3CX editionENT/AI or aboveMinimum SC16SC+ | External accountNo external transcription-provider accountProvider chargesCustomer infrastructure and operations costs | Cloud or self-hostedSelf-hosted on-premise or cloudData-processing pathPBX audio is processed by the customer-run transcription serverInfrastructureDedicated Debian 12 server; GPU recommended for faster processing | Ideal use caseOrganizations prioritizing infrastructure control and predictable high-volume processingImportant limitationRequires dedicated compute, firewall design, monitoring, and maintenance |
| OpenAI Whisper | Required 3CX editionENT/AIMinimum SCNo separate minimum stated in the current guide | External accountOpenAI project, billing, and API keyProvider chargesOpenAI API usage charges | Cloud or self-hostedExternal cloud providerData-processing pathSelected audio is sent to the configured OpenAI transcription serviceInfrastructureSecure API access, model availability, budget, and rate limits | Ideal use caseOrganizations that already govern OpenAI usage and want a provider API pathImportant limitationExternal processing, model availability, cost, quality, and retention require review |
| Google Speech-to-Text | Required 3CX editionPRO for voicemail; enterprise call path confirmed during sizingMinimum SCNo separate minimum stated in the current guide | External accountGoogle Cloud account and enabled APIsProvider chargesGoogle Cloud storage and API usage charges | Cloud or self-hostedExternal cloud providerData-processing pathAudio and related processing use the configured Google Cloud servicesInfrastructureGoogle Cloud Storage, Speech-to-Text V2, Vertex AI, and Natural Language APIs | Ideal use caseOrganizations with an established Google Cloud governance and billing modelImportant limitationProvider setup, language support, storage, processing, cost, and retention require review |
| xAI / Grok | Required 3CX editionConfirmed during technical sizingMinimum SCConfirmed during technical sizing | External accountCurrent provider account requirements are confirmed during sizingProvider chargesCurrent provider terms and usage charges apply | Cloud or self-hostedExternal cloud provider pathData-processing pathThe current supported processing path is documented in the live 3CX guideInfrastructureCurrent 3CX compatibility, API access, and network requirements | Ideal use caseOrganizations evaluating the currently supported xAI provider optionImportant limitationEligibility and provider requirements are confirmed against the live guide before approval |
3CX Cloud Transcription
- Required 3CX edition
- ENT/AI for voicemail; ENT+ for call transcription
- Minimum SC
- ENT+ call transcription at 8SC+
- External account
- No separate provider account
- Provider charges
- Included usage is confirmed in the current quotation
- Cloud or self-hosted
- 3CX-managed cloud
- Data-processing path
- Audio is processed through the 3CX cloud transcription service
- Infrastructure
- No separate customer GPU server
- Ideal use case
- Managed transcription with a simpler infrastructure path
- Important limitation
- Current package, included minutes, languages, and usage terms must be confirmed
Self-hosted 3CX Transcription Engine
- Required 3CX edition
- ENT/AI or above
- Minimum SC
- 16SC+
- External account
- No external transcription-provider account
- Provider charges
- Customer infrastructure and operations costs
- Cloud or self-hosted
- Self-hosted on-premise or cloud
- Data-processing path
- PBX audio is processed by the customer-run transcription server
- Infrastructure
- Dedicated Debian 12 server; GPU recommended for faster processing
- Ideal use case
- Organizations prioritizing infrastructure control and predictable high-volume processing
- Important limitation
- Requires dedicated compute, firewall design, monitoring, and maintenance
OpenAI Whisper
- Required 3CX edition
- ENT/AI
- Minimum SC
- No separate minimum stated in the current guide
- External account
- OpenAI project, billing, and API key
- Provider charges
- OpenAI API usage charges
- Cloud or self-hosted
- External cloud provider
- Data-processing path
- Selected audio is sent to the configured OpenAI transcription service
- Infrastructure
- Secure API access, model availability, budget, and rate limits
- Ideal use case
- Organizations that already govern OpenAI usage and want a provider API path
- Important limitation
- External processing, model availability, cost, quality, and retention require review
Google Speech-to-Text
- Required 3CX edition
- PRO for voicemail; enterprise call path confirmed during sizing
- Minimum SC
- No separate minimum stated in the current guide
- External account
- Google Cloud account and enabled APIs
- Provider charges
- Google Cloud storage and API usage charges
- Cloud or self-hosted
- External cloud provider
- Data-processing path
- Audio and related processing use the configured Google Cloud services
- Infrastructure
- Google Cloud Storage, Speech-to-Text V2, Vertex AI, and Natural Language APIs
- Ideal use case
- Organizations with an established Google Cloud governance and billing model
- Important limitation
- Provider setup, language support, storage, processing, cost, and retention require review
xAI / Grok
- Required 3CX edition
- Confirmed during technical sizing
- Minimum SC
- Confirmed during technical sizing
- External account
- Current provider account requirements are confirmed during sizing
- Provider charges
- Current provider terms and usage charges apply
- Cloud or self-hosted
- External cloud provider path
- Data-processing path
- The current supported processing path is documented in the live 3CX guide
- Infrastructure
- Current 3CX compatibility, API access, and network requirements
- Ideal use case
- Organizations evaluating the currently supported xAI provider option
- Important limitation
- Eligibility and provider requirements are confirmed against the live guide before approval
Self-hosted technical requirements
Current documented 3CX Transcription Engine baseline
Place this workload on a dedicated, fully updated system and validate capacity against expected audio volume and processing targets.
- Edition
- ENT/AI or above
- Capacity
- 16SC+
- Deployment
- On-premise or cloud
- Operating system
- Debian 12
- CPU
- 4 vCPU minimum
- Memory
- 24 GB minimum
- Free storage
- 20 GB minimum
- Recommended GPU
- NVIDIA 24 GB RTX GPU
- Restricted PBX connectivity
- TCP 61443 from the PBX only
3CX Cloud and ENT+
Managed call transcription with bundled usage
Current 3CX documentation presents ENT+ as the cloud call-transcription path for eligible SC capacities, with transcription usage bundled according to the current quotation. ECOLOR confirms the package, included minutes, user limits, languages, and service terms before order approval.
Privacy and compliance
Design recording and transcription policy before enabling departments or users
The PBX-owning organization remains responsible for recording notices, lawful basis and consent, access, retention, deletion, provider review, sensitive-data handling, and a Saudi PDPL assessment.
- Provide recording notification and capture consent where applicable
- Document the purpose and lawful basis for recording and transcription
- Restrict recording, transcript, summary, and report access
- Define retention, archive, transcript deletion, and backup behavior
- Review provider terms, processing locations, and data-residency implications
- Minimize sensitive personal, financial, health, and credential data
- Use human quality review for critical, legal, HR, or customer decisions
- Complete Saudi PDPL and sector-specific legal and security review
ECOLOR implementation services
Turn provider selection into an operational transcription service
- Recording and transcription policy design
- Provider and deployment selection
- Capacity and minute estimation
- GPU and server sizing
- Arabic and English language selection
- Department, queue, ring-group, and user configuration
- Summary, sentiment, and report configuration
- Access-control and role design
- Pilot testing with representative audio
- Accuracy and quality sampling
- Retention and deletion workflow
- Usage and cost monitoring
Official 3CX documentation
The provider paths and technical baseline were checked against these official 3CX pages on July 18, 2026. Final eligibility is rechecked during technical sizing.
AI transcription questions
Does full-call transcription require call recording?
Generally yes. Full-call transcription uses eligible recorded calls and requires the applicable edition, provider path, permissions, and configuration for the department, user, queue, or ring group.
Can 3CX transcription run on infrastructure we control?
Yes. The documented self-hosted 3CX Transcription Engine supports on-premise or cloud deployment for ENT/AI or above at 16SC+, using a dedicated Debian 12 server and the documented compute, memory, storage, firewall, and recommended GPU baseline.
Is transcription accuracy guaranteed?
No. Quality varies with language, dialect, codec, audio quality, background noise, speaker overlap, provider, model, and configuration. ECOLOR recommends representative sampling and human review for critical uses.
Select the right 3CX transcription path
Share your languages, recording policy, monthly audio volume, data-location preferences, reporting needs, and infrastructure constraints. ECOLOR will prepare a provider and capacity design.