SMS texting has gone through many different stages in its evolution and is becoming the most popular form of communication. Today, companies, people and even machines can send text messages from a variety of different sources, even an existing business landline or toll-free number. There are an estimated 6.1 trillion text messages exchanged every year and that number will only continue to rise. With recent technological advances, companies are prime candidates to start using texting. They get to keep their existing phone numbers and send text messages with their customers! You may be asking, how can a text someone from a landline – or – how can I text a landline phone?
By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of how this is possible.
How do landlines receive text messages?
To understand SMS texting, it is important to note that the networks for texting and calling operate independently from one another. Your landline number is where a text message is delivered, not the landline itself. Meaning, if you text-enable your existing landline phone number, you will still be able to receive texts and calls simultaneously. The landline phone number functions as an address that leads to two separate destinations. Voice calls are sent to the landline phone, but the SMS messages are routed to SMS Factory software. Provisioning your number for SMS business texting means that it is added to a network that allows the number to provide a new service. In this case, sending and receiving text messages.
Think of your local number or landline like a home address and the text message like letters in the mail – your address directs the post office to send the letter to your specific destination. This is the same for your phone number. It is a code that directs the texting network to send SMS traffic to your specified device. We are able to do this seamlessly through our messaging APIs.
How do I activate a landline for texting?
SMS Factory’s software gives you the technology to check your customer’s business landlines for eligibility as well as provision them for texting. By provisioning the customer’s existing business landline, and we allow them to text from the number their clients already know.
Have your own numbers? By using the SMS Factory texting software, you can own your number and clients. We are in the business of text-enabling landlines and toll-free DID numbers. We want to give our partners complete control over their customers by giving them the tools they need to text-enable landlines.
Do I need to attach anything to my landline phone?
We bet you are wondering, “Do I need to install anything into my phone system to text enable my existing business landline?”. The answer is “No!” Type in the number or numbers you wish to use text-enable and press “Activate.” Your client will receive a welcome email within the hour with their username and password. There is no integration or physical set up required to get your clients up and running. This solution operates in the cloud and is easily accessible through your desktop application or your mobile device.
When companies use texting, conversations can flow from a phone call, into a text message and back into a call, seamlessly. Since consumers are used to convenience, they expect that they will be able to get hold of someone instantly and through different channels.
