TLDR – 3CX Extension Caps
3CX has clarified a fair‑use policy that sets a maximum number of extensions per SIM Call license size. 3CX states enforcement will not begin before April 1, 2026, but the published caps redefine planning for low‑concurrency, high‑extension environments like education, hospitality, and healthcare. Many partners will need to uplift license tiers to stay within the new caps. Viirtue gives MSPs a flexible, reseller‑first path to design around real concurrency and automate quote‑to‑cash, usage rating, automated taxes, and compliance.
If you support 3CX today, the big shift is simple to state and messy to absorb: licenses are now tied to maximum users or extensions.
That hits environments with many endpoints and low concurrency the hardest, like hotels, schools, and clinics. In this guide, we unpack what changed, who gets squeezed, and the practical options MSPs have right now.
We also show why Viirtue’s partner-first platform at viirtue.com aligns cost to real usage while automating quote to cash, rating, and telecom tax compliance so you keep control and margin.
What Changed in 3CX Licensing?
3CX published an “Extension Fair Usage” update and a table that maps each SIM Call license size to a maximum number of user extensions. The post also states that system extensions are not counted in that total. 3CX added that enforcement of these limits will not begin any earlier than April 1, 2026. (3CX)
3CX’s public pricing page now includes an interactive calculator that prompts you to choose a user extension range and then displays the associated maximum number of extensions and recommended SIM Call license size. This makes the caps visible at the point of purchase. (3CX)
Historically, 3CX’s price list page reiterated that extensions were not enforced, only “expected” to align with SIM Calls. That language remains on the pricelist page, but the new blog post clarifies a fair‑use policy with a future enforcement timeline. Partners should plan for the new caps rather than the older guidance. (3CX)
The New 3CX Extension Cap Levels at a Glance
The following summary reflects the mapping 3CX publishes in the calculator and blog examples. Ratios are shown to help partners estimate risk for low‑concurrency deployments.
SIM Calls (SC) | Max Extensions | Approx Ratio (Ext per SC) |
|---|---|---|
8 | 40 | 5.0x |
16 | 80 | 5.0x |
24 | 132 | 5.5x |
32 | 176 | 5.5x |
48 | 288 | 6.0x |
64 | 384 | 6.0x |
96 | 576 | 6.0x |
128 | 768 | 6.0x |
192 | 1,152 | 6.0x |
256 | 1,536 | 6.0x |
512 | 3,072 | 6.0x |
1,024 | 6,144 | 6.0x |
When Do These Caps Start to Matter?
3CX’s CEO states that limits will not be enforced any time before April 1, 2026. That gives partners time to assess deployments, especially those that scaled on “unlimited extensions” assumptions.
Plan now because the impact is felt the moment you quote new projects or renew existing ones under the updated policy. (3CX)
Real‑world Impact: Who is Most Affected by the 3CX Extension Cap?
Partners serving customers with many endpoints but modest concurrent calling are most exposed. In community feedback, admins call out schools, hotels, and hospitals where headcount or room count can far exceed typical concurrency. One representative sentiment: “no more unlimited extensions… bad news for large installs with low volume like schools, hotels, hospitals.” (Reddit)
Add to that the 2025 changes that increased price pressure on smaller license sizes and adjusted SKUs like 4SC, and you have a material shift in the economics some partners built into their offers. (3CX)
Quick Scenarios Partners Can Model
Use these sketches to spot upgrade risk. Do your own math with the 3CX calculator before final proposals.
120 extensions, historically fine on 16 SC
Old thinking: 16 SC was enough because concurrency was low.
New cap: 16 SC allows up to 80 extensions, so you would need to step to 32 SC to stay within 176 max. Budget for the license uplift and any hosting deltas. (3CX)
Campus with 300 extensions and 48 SC peak
New cap at 48 SC is 288 max extensions. If the site truly has 300 extensions, you may need 64 SC. Many campuses carry hundreds of devices with staggered usage, so this is a common edge. (3CX)
Hotel with 550 room endpoints and low staff concurrency
At 192 SC the cap is 1,152, which may still fit. The risk appears on smaller SC sizes at properties that historically ran very low concurrency relative to rooms. Use the calculator rather than relying on rules of thumb. (3CX)
What to Do Next:
Inventory each tenant: List real extensions and peak SIM Calls. Separate users from system extensions since 3CX states system extensions are excluded from the cap. (3CX)
Run the 3CX calculator: Check whether you land over a max and capture the required SC uplift for compliance with the published fair‑use ranges. (3CX)
Flag at‑risk verticals: Education, hospitality, healthcare, and municipal deployments with many endpoints are most likely to feel the change first. Community discussion already highlights these. (Reddit)
Re‑price renewals early: The enforcement date gives time, but quoting with the new caps avoids last‑minute surprises. (3CX)
Offer a Viirtue option alongside any 3CX renewal: Let customers see a design that aligns cost with true usage and a platform experience built for MSPs.
Why MSPs Are Moving Conversations to Viirtue
Viirtue is built for MSPs that need to win complex accounts without surprises at renewal.
Design around real usage, not hard caps: With Viirtue, your design and pricing strategy can align to actual concurrency and feature needs rather than plan‑level extension maximums in another vendor’s calculator. That puts you back in control of margin for high‑extension, low‑concurrency environments.
Quote‑to‑cash that is reseller native: Our proprietary quote‑to‑cash platform was built specifically for MSP distribution. It handles tiered bundles, promos, approvals, renewals, and co‑terming in minutes.
Usage rating that makes complex deals profitable: Bill confidently for the way your customers actually consume services. Viirtue’s usage rating lets you model and monetize call patterns that do not fit one‑size‑fits‑all seat math.
Tax automation and compliance: Communications taxes and regulatory fees are complicated. Viirtue automates the heavy lifting so partners stay compliant while protecting margin.
Modern, mobile‑first buying experience: Give your customer a clean, consumer‑grade purchase flow that works on any device. That translates to faster closes and fewer order errors.
If you are juggling extension math to fit inside another vendor’s limits, let us show you how Viirtue lets you design the solution your customer actually needs.
At a Glance – 3CX vs. Viirtue
For MSP partners | 3CX new model | Viirtue approach |
|---|---|---|
Cost basis | License plus user caps | Usage aligned with concurrency patterns |
Fit for hotels, schools, and clinics | Often constrained by caps | Built to support large endpoint counts with low simultaneous calls |
Go to market | Product led by the vendor | |
Quote to cash | Manual stitching across tools | Proprietary end-to-end quote to cash |
Rating and taxation | Partner effort and add-ons | Native usage rating, tax automation, compliance workflows |
For a more detailed look at how Viirtue stacks up to 3CX’s partner program, check out this page here.
Final Thoughts for Partners
User caps change how you scope, price, and renew 3CX. You can up-tier and accept a higher cost basis, re-architect around the limits, or choose a platform that fits extension-heavy footprints without the friction. Viirtue helps MSPs and IT Providers map spend to concurrency, launch modern checkout experiences, and automate the billing and taxation that protect profits.
If you manage hotels, schools, or healthcare, now is the moment to de-risk your portfolio. See how the Viirtue approach works for your book of business at viirtue.com and schedule a quick consult to plan your next steps.
FAQ: 3CX Extension Caps
Does 3CX still allow unlimited extensions?
3CX has published a fair‑use policy that sets maximum numbers of extensions per SIM Call license. The policy formalizes an upper bound where “unlimited” was previously implied in marketing language. Enforcement is not planned before April 1, 2026. (3CX)
Where can I see the exact caps for each license size?
Use 3CX’s pricing page. The calculator shows maximum extensions and the SIM Call license you need for a given user extension range. (3CX)
Do system extensions count toward the cap?
3CX says system extensions are not included in the total. (3CX)
Why is this hitting schools and hotels first?
Those environments often have hundreds of endpoints with low simultaneous usage. Community discussion specifically calls them out as most impacted. (Reddit)
What else changed in 2025 that partners should know about?
3CX announced strategy and pricing updates earlier in 2025 that affected small license sizes like 4SC. Review those changes if you serve many small offices. (3CX)
