Set Up an SMS Channel

An SMS channel lets your team reach customers directly on their mobile phones—and vice versa. Incoming SMS messages appear in the Virtual-Call UC Client, where agents can respond to them. This article describes how to set up an SMS channel in the Cloud PBX.

Prerequisites

• SMS Provider: You need an account with one of the supported SMS service providers (see table below) and a phone number enabled for SMS.
• Domain Name: The domain name of your Cloud PBX must not contain underscore characters (_), as this may cause webhook authentication failures.
• Domain Certificate: If your PBX uses a custom domain (not the provider's standard domain), a valid domain certificate must be installed.

Supported SMS Providers

The following table shows the supported providers and the authentication credentials required for each:

If your SMS provider is not listed, it can be integrated via the SMS API. Contact Virtual-Call support for more information.

Setup

Setting up an SMS channel involves two main steps:

1. Create and configure the SMS channel in the PBX
2. Configure the webhook at your SMS provider

Step 1: Create the SMS Channel in the PBX

1. Log in to the Cloud PBX admin portal.
2. Go to Messaging > Message Channel.
3. Click Add and select SMS.
4. Configure the Authentication tab:
   • Name: A descriptive name (e.g., “SMS Support” or “SMS Sales”).
   • ITSP: Select your SMS service provider from the list.
   • Credentials: Enter the authentication credentials from your provider (see table above).
   • Webhook URL: This is generated automatically. Copy it—you will need it in Step 2.

5. Configure the Messaging Settings tab:
   • Message Sending Rate: Maximum number of messages per second. If this exceeds your SMS provider's limit, delivery failures may occur. Check with your provider for their limit.
   • Close Session Automatically: Enable this and set a timeout in days to automatically close inactive sessions.
   • Allow Duplicate Active Sessions: Whether a new agent can create a session when an active session with the same contact already exists.
6. Configure the Number section:
   • Click Add.
   • Number: Enter the phone number in E.164 format (e.g., +14102161183) or an alphanumeric sender ID.
   • Destination for Inbound Messaging: Choose where incoming SMS are routed:
     • Extension: Messages go directly to a specific extension.
     • Message Queue: Messages go to a queue where multiple agents can handle them.
   • Extensions allowed to create messaging sessions: Select which extensions can send messages through this channel.
7. Click Save.

Step 2: Configure the Webhook at Your SMS Provider

To enable the PBX to receive incoming SMS, you need to enter the webhook URL in your SMS provider's configuration:

1. Log in to your SMS provider's portal.
2. Find the webhook or callback settings for your SMS number.
3. Enter the webhook URL you copied from the PBX in Step 1.
4. Save the settings.

The exact steps vary by provider. Consult your SMS provider's documentation for details.

Result

After successful setup, the SMS channel appears in the channel list under Messaging > Message Channel with a green status icon. The PBX automatically tracks the number of messages sent and received.

Important Notes

• SMS Segmentation: Text messages longer than 160 characters are automatically split into multiple segments. This may increase the actual number of messages charged by your provider.
• MMS File Size: Multimedia messages (MMS) are limited to 100 MB. Files are retained for 72 hours.
• 10DLC Registration (US): To send SMS to US numbers, your 10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) number must be registered for A2P messaging. Otherwise, messages will be blocked. Contact your SMS provider for registration.
• IP Access for MMS: If you have configured IP access security rules, make sure access from your SMS provider's country is allowed—otherwise MMS files cannot be delivered.