CODEWITHSUNDEEP
twiliosms
user2402616
user2402616

Reputation: 1563

Send automated text when someone calls number

I'm interested in sending an automated SMS message right after someone calls a number.

So, I already have an existing number that I'd like to use for this (I do not want to have to create a new one). The wireless carrier for this existing number is T-Mobile.

It seems that all paid services to do this (Twilio, Vonage)..will require me to get a new number from them. So, is it possible to use an existing number with these services?

Is it possible to do this for free without using a paid service? Maybe an API for the wireless carrier of the number or even some smartphone app.

What would anyone recommend here? Thanks!

Upvotes: 0

Views: 170

Answers (1)

John Smith
John Smith

Reputation: 478

While you can in fact add a non-Twilio owned or controlled number you purchased elsewhere as a "Verified" number allowing it to perform a call action to another number without changing the status or control of said number, where the end result is a person receiving a call from said number, the same is not true of outbound SMS.

From the Twilio documentation :

An existing non-Twilio phone number, like the number to a wireless phone or a landline in your home or office, must be validated on your Twilio account before it can be used for specific Twilio account services.

For free trial accounts you will only be able to make calls or send SMS from your free trial account to numbers that are verified caller IDs on the account. We allow verified phone numbers to be used as a caller ID on outbound calls for trial accounts as well.

For upgraded accounts we allow verified phone numbers to be used as a caller ID on outbound calls (this feature not available for outbound messaging).

However, considering the flexibility of phone apps you could in theory create (or perhaps download) an app that checks your Twilio account and an additional number purchased and automatically sends a text from the phone in question based on a detected action periodically simulating the desired effect, which would require a constant physical device being powered to do so. In simple terms this is very odd and unheard of simply for being unnecessary.

Anecdote: We have a popular "vanity number" from another service. 1-800-POPULAR, for example. To send a text from this number as the receiving SMS number would not be possible. Nor would it need to be. Any user action performed would instead instantly be sent from the Twilio number, which for any end user would basically never be confused unless they were constantly being bombarded by random texts with the same message. Which again is unheard of.

Upvotes: 1

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