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Software and cloud-based communications platform specialist Twilio introduced the ability to text using toll-free numbers, which means businesses can now interact with their customers via Short Message Service over their existing toll-free numbers or new Twilio toll-free numbers.
Using Twilio toll-free SMS, businesses can provide both automated and live agent support via text and help reduce on-hold wait times and number of phone calls a call center receives by servicing requests through SMS.
Like all Twilio domestic U.S. messages, messages to or from toll-free numbers will be priced at only $0.0075 per message.
Akin to texting to and from any other US 10-digit phone number, standard text messaging rates will apply for users sending messages to and from a toll-free number.
The platform also enable customers and call center agents to switch between calls and text-based support as well as enhance brand experience and reduce complexity for customers by associating a single 800 phone number with both voice and text messaging.
The company’s global communications platform offers a range of communications solutions from complete call centers to work scheduling applications, as well as mobile marketing and lead management and tools designed to improve security.
“Along with voice, email and chat communications, SMS has become an additional and often preferred communication channel for the growing community of mobile users. Customers today want to leverage SMS to do everything from inquiring about the status of a delivery to texting for listing information on a house they’re interested in purchasing,” Jeff Lawson, Twilio co-founder and CEO of Twilio, said in a statement. “As businesses look to create a modern experience that matches the expectations of their customers, these types of advances in the Twilio platform help businesses meet those expectations.”
The throughput level is three messages per second bandwidth for every toll-free number, which includes message delivery information.On the telephony side, the company uses geographically distributed data centers to connect with carriers around the globe, and the company counts industry titans like Coca-Cola, Uber and file-sharing service box among their clients.
Among its developer partners, Authy provides a way to add Two Factor Authentication to the app or Website, and TurboVote helps businesses register to vote, and provides the company with everything they need to vote by mail.
“With voice and messaging capabilities on the same toll-free phone number, businesses can enable customers to connect via their communication channel of choice,” a company release stated. “Twilio’s platform enables a broad range of capabilities for developers and businesses to rapidly build and deploy the communication solution that meets their specific need.”