Introduction to Channels
Channels allow you to send and receive messages or phone calls through your account. You can connect as many channels to your account as you want.
Available channel types include Aggregators (SMS & Voice), Android Phone (SMS), Facebook Messenger, the Nyaruka Surveyor Android apps, Telegram and Twitter. We're always looking to add channels, so feel free to recommend one to support@textit.com.
Aggregators are services that process messages across multiple carriers with exceptional speed and efficiency. They provide virtual mobile numbers and short codes that are easily connected to your account through an API integration.
Examples of aggregators include, but are certainly not limited to:
Twilio
Plivo
Vonage
Clickatell
Africa's Talking
Throughput is the speed of the messages sent by your channel, measured in messages/second. For example, with toll-free Twilio numbers, throughput is 3 text messages/second, whereas standard virtual numbers send 1 message/second.
We're always extending our network of local aggregators. If you don't see an option for your country, let us know. We'd be happy to help source a local aggregator that we can integrate with our platform for your country.
See our IVR docs for more info.
Twilio's Impact Access Program provides eligible nonprofits and social enterprises with exclusive discounts and credits for Twilio products.
Our Android Phone channel uses free Android apps to turn your phone into a message relayer for your account. When your account sends a message, it notifies your Android phone. The phone will then send the message out from its local number on your behalf. If somebody responds to that message, the phone will then relay that message to your account. You can send up to 330 messages/hour by downloading our free message packs within the app.
Wish to send messages immediately
Are developing a service that isn't expected to send more than 330 messages per hour
Wish to deploy in a country where virtual mobile numbers and short codes aren't available or feasible.
This channel option is ideal for Android channel deployments that need to send more than 330 messages per hour. It entails creating and connecting a Vonage account to your account with us. With bulk sending enabled, Vonage handles your outbound messages while maintaining your Android phone's sender ID, and your Android phone will handle incoming messages.
The External API channel allows you to send and receive messages via external providers (those not already listed when adding a channel). This could be an external chat/messaging service or an aggregator not already listed (though we're happy to integrate with aggregators for a fee).
For example, if you want to leverage the automation we provide through an external service, you could write hooks for your system and connect them through your external API. We would then send and receive messages on via the external service.
As long as your contacts have the URN type your channel is configured to correspond with, we'll send outgoing messages using the endpoint you configure.
Channel Types
Available channel types include Aggregators (SMS & Voice), Android Phone (SMS), Facebook Messenger, the Nyaruka Surveyor Android apps, Telegram and Twitter. We're always looking to add channels, so feel free to recommend one to support@textit.com.
Aggregator (SMS & Voice)
Aggregators are services that process messages across multiple carriers with exceptional speed and efficiency. They provide virtual mobile numbers and short codes that are easily connected to your account through an API integration.
Examples of aggregators include, but are certainly not limited to:
Twilio
Plivo
Vonage
Clickatell
Africa's Talking
Throughput
Throughput is the speed of the messages sent by your channel, measured in messages/second. For example, with toll-free Twilio numbers, throughput is 3 text messages/second, whereas standard virtual numbers send 1 message/second.
Adding Aggregators
We're always extending our network of local aggregators. If you don't see an option for your country, let us know. We'd be happy to help source a local aggregator that we can integrate with our platform for your country.
Voice
See our IVR docs for more info.
Nonprofit Discount:
Twilio's Impact Access Program provides eligible nonprofits and social enterprises with exclusive discounts and credits for Twilio products.
Android Phone
Our Android Phone channel uses free Android apps to turn your phone into a message relayer for your account. When your account sends a message, it notifies your Android phone. The phone will then send the message out from its local number on your behalf. If somebody responds to that message, the phone will then relay that message to your account. You can send up to 330 messages/hour by downloading our free message packs within the app.
Ideal for those who:
Wish to send messages immediately
Are developing a service that isn't expected to send more than 330 messages per hour
Wish to deploy in a country where virtual mobile numbers and short codes aren't available or feasible.
Bulk Sending:
This channel option is ideal for Android channel deployments that need to send more than 330 messages per hour. It entails creating and connecting a Vonage account to your account with us. With bulk sending enabled, Vonage handles your outbound messages while maintaining your Android phone's sender ID, and your Android phone will handle incoming messages.
External API
The External API channel allows you to send and receive messages via external providers (those not already listed when adding a channel). This could be an external chat/messaging service or an aggregator not already listed (though we're happy to integrate with aggregators for a fee).
For example, if you want to leverage the automation we provide through an external service, you could write hooks for your system and connect them through your external API. We would then send and receive messages on via the external service.
As long as your contacts have the URN type your channel is configured to correspond with, we'll send outgoing messages using the endpoint you configure.
Updated on: 26/05/2023
Thank you!