How does the SMS Number Host Process Work

Customers who wish to send SMS via the Talkative platform can either have new numbers provisioned via our delivery partner Twilio, or port the numbers to Twilio, or for US based customers a host request can be made.

Port vs Host

A port is the method of transferring a numbers ownership from one carrier to another. This means the new carrier has full control over all aspects of the number including voice. A port is only suitable if the number is being used exclusively for SMS or if Talkative are handling any calls via its PSTN solution. 

A host, which is currently only available for customers based in the US,  is a request to let another carrier manage the SMS aspect of the phone number. This effectively means the telephony capabilities and configurations remain untouched, whilst the SMS and MMS messages are routed through the carrier which is hosting the number. In most cases this solution is the quickest and easiest solution to allow the sending of SMS through existing numbers in the Talkative Platform.

Expected Timescales & Considerations

Unlike a traditional port where a date and time are often chosen for the process to be completed, a host cannot be scheduled for a particular time, instead the process begins as soon as the Letter of Authorization (LoA) is signed by the owner of the numbers. The processing time varies but can be as little as 2 hours, or in some cases when manual intervention is required, it can be delayed by commonly up to 48 business hours, in some cases, this process can be as long as a week.

Neither Talkative or Twilio have any direct control over these timescales however, we can make a request to determine if manual intervention is likely to be required based on the carrier and past host attempts.

Hosting Process

Step 0: A2P Application

Whilst not required to complete the host, US numbers require a valid A2P campaign to be in place to allow outgoing messages. We recommend completing this application well in advance of time so the numbers we host can be allocated to the campaign and outgoing messages be sent. A2P campaigns can take many weeks to complete with potential delays if the campaign gets rejected for any reason. This process is manual and handled by one of the Talkative Engineers. We will send you a Google Form to complete to provide us with the required data to proceed.

Step 1: Data Collection

Talkative will require a list of telephone numbers which will be hosted. If possible, please include an invoice which lists these numbers to prove ownership, this may help reduce the timescales should manual intervention be required. These numbers should be provided to your account representative who is handling the process for you, at which time, we will start the host request.

We will ask Twilio to review the numbers to identify the likelihood of manual intervention being required. We will inform you of the outcome when they respond to us. Such requests can take up to 48 hours to be reviewed. This is not a guaranteed outcome, and the only way to confirm is by starting the process, but it gives us a good chance to catch when intervention will be required.

Step 2: Automated Number Verification & Security Checks

A recent addition to the process is the requirement to validate access to the telephone numbers which will be in the host request. This is done by an automated call being made to each number in the host request, at the point the call is made, a 6 digit code will be generated which needs to be entered using the dial pad to confirm access to the number. The length of time this will take will depend on the amount of numbers, if any changes need to be made to the flow to enable direct dial this might lengthen the call. We recommend this action is taken outside of working hours to not disrupt any business operations and prevent the likelihood of the line becoming busy.

The automated verification process requires a call with a Talkative Engineer to go through the numbers to trigger the call and provide the 2FA number. The person receiving these calls need to be able to accept the call and insert the number. It is helpful if the calls can be routed directly to a phone rather than through an IVR. We do have the ability to program timed keypresses to attempt to navigate an IVR, however, this risks failure and if the request to enter the code fails 3 times, we must reach out to Twilio support to have them reset the host request.

Step 3: Letter of Authorisation

Once the numbers have been verified the Talkative Engineer will generate a Letter of Authorization, this will be sent to the primary contact listed in the application. Depending on the quantity of the numbers being ported, we may have multiple LoAs or a single one. 

Whilst we cannot control the timescales associated with hosting, we can control when the process will begin. The point at which the customer signs the letter of authorisation is the point at which the automated process to initiate the host request with the originating carrier begins.

If the number is being uses for SMS with the current carrier, we'd recommend not initiating this before the users are trained to send SMS from within the Talkative platform. This means that when the host completes and the messages start entering the Talkative platform, agents are able to make a clean switch to continue working. If the switch happens too quickly, it might cause a bigger disruption.

We recommend planning for the worst case scenario with disruption as this means business continuity plans can be in place. If required, we can provision additional numbers to use as temporary numbers during the host period.

Step 4: Assignment to Campaign & Configuration in Platform

Once the host request has been completed the numbers will be available in the platform. A Talkative Engineer will ensure the configuration is complete and assign the numbers to the relevant A2P campaign. The numbers will now be available in the application to assign to the relevant queues.

Future Number Port Considerations

If the customer chooses to port the number to a new supplier in the future, this may impact the host request which is in place. The host represents an agreement between Twilio and the original carrier to allow SMS traffic to be routed through Twilio. When the number is ported, this configuration may not be transferred automatically which will result in a loss of service. Manually intervention will be required from Twilio support to reconnect the numbers - this process may take several working days to process, so please provide as much detail as possible when this happens so we can make Twilio aware early in the process to speed up resolution time.