Press8 doesn’t directly offer SMS with our VoIP service because that is not our bailiwick. But did you know it’s possible to use a third-party SMS carrier with Press8?
How to Add SMS Capability to Your Press8 Account
Before we dive into the details of how SMS works with Press8, we want to clarify a few things:
Press8 is a VoIP service provider, not a carrier.
Our carriers do not block third-party SMS carriers (some carriers or providers do).
Because we don’t offer SMS Texting, it’s up to you to pick an SMS provider.
You can use your Press8 numbers for texting if the number is set up to allow SMS during the porting process (which is usually the case) or if the number is edited afterward by our team. You can always test your Press8 number(s) with your third-party SMS carrier to see if it works with SMS. If you have an issue just contact us so we can make sure the number is SMS enabled.
SMS VoIP Apps
There’s no shortage of third-party SMS carriers that can help you out. Here is an article that talks about some of them*: https://zapier.com/blog/best-sms-app/.
*Disclaimer: We cannot vouch for the efficacy or availability of any of these services. There is no Press8 support provided for these services.
There is nothing required by Press8 to enable these services.
Typical Issues Connecting SMS to Your VoIP Provider
There are a few ways this could play out, but here are some scenarios we’ve encountered.
1. Your Carrier Doesn’t Allow SMS
Luckily, Press8’s carriers do! A good way to find out when porting numbers to a new VoIP provider is to try connecting one number to your chosen SMS service provider. If that works, then likely all of them will. If you’re porting a good chunk of numbers, you might run into issues on a handful, which brings us to our next item.
2. When Switching from one SMS service provider to another: How to Remove an Existing SMS Routing Profile From Your Number
If your number was previously text-enabled, it may be necessary to have the prior SPID removed. If you are switching to a new SMS/texting provider, you can contact your previous SMS service provider to have them relinquish control of the SMS functionality by removing their SPID from the number. Once the old provider has confirmed that the SPID has been released, the new texting provider can usually have the SMS routed through them in a matter of hours. (Toll-free numbers can take a bit longer, however—on average, around 10 days.)
