---
title: "SMS Channel"
description: "Use SMS for automatic replies, test messages, short confirmations during voice calls, and owner notifications."
publishedAt: "2026-06-27"
modifiedAt: "2026-08-15"
category: "Channels"
tags: "Voicetta, SMS, text messages, agent tools, owner notification"
navOrder: "34"
canonical: "https://voicetta.com/docs/sms-channel"
---

# SMS Channel

SMS lets your agent send and receive text messages on the agent's phone number.

The voice agent can also send short SMS confirmations during a call when the Guest agrees, and owner summaries to `sms_notification_number` when a personal-inbound prompt collects a message for you.

## Why it matters for your business

- **Save money:** simple confirmations are cheaper than another call.
- **Work faster:** the agent can send details while the Guest is still engaged.
- **Standardize service:** follow-up messages use the same approved tone.
- **Delight every Guest:** Guests leave the conversation with written confirmation.
- **Keep the owner informed:** messages meant for you go to your notification number, not back to the Guest.

## What SMS can do

SMS can support:

- inbound text messages,
- automatic AI replies when enabled,
- test SMS from the app,
- short confirmations during calls (`send_sms_confirmation`),
- owner call summaries during or after conversations (`send_sms_notification` / owner notification),
- appointment details, addresses, links, reservation numbers, or concise summaries.

## Consent and safety rules

The agent should send Guest-facing SMS only after the Guest asks for it or agrees to receive it.

Owner notification SMS goes to `sms_notification_number` from Business settings. It is not a Guest confirmation and does not replace Guest consent rules for caller-facing messages.

Do not send sensitive personal data, payment data, passwords, or secrets by SMS.

If sending a Guest confirmation to a number different from the caller's number, confirm the number first.

## Guest follow-ups vs owner delivery

- **Disconnect / recovery follow-ups** go to the Guest. See [AI Evaluations](/docs/ai-evaluations).
- **Owner summaries** go to `sms_notification_number`.
- If a Guest hangs up and continues by SMS, Voicetta can still send the collected owner note after the text thread is processed — so the agent does not need to paste the summary back to the Guest as a workaround.

## Step-by-step in the app

1. Open **Agent → Connections**.
2. Find SMS under communication channels.
3. Configure the channel for the agent's phone number.
4. Enable automatic replies if needed.
5. Enable the voice-call SMS tools if needed.
6. Set `sms_notification_number` under **Settings → Business** when using personal-inbound owner summaries.
7. Send a test message.
8. Review sent and received messages in **History**.

Guest memory for SMS (and other channels) is configured on **Agent → Memory**, not in the SMS sheet.

## Cost note

History may show estimated message costs. Agent-sent SMS is currently **5¢/message**. Treat displayed costs as visibility for operations; billing pages and invoices remain the source for wallet and invoice status.

## Related pages

- [Conversation Memory](/docs/conversation-memory)
- [Voicetta API](/docs/conversation-data-api)
- [Agent Tools](/docs/agent-tools)
- [AI Evaluations](/docs/ai-evaluations)
- [Business Settings](/docs/business-settings)
- [History and Guest Timelines](/docs/history-and-timelines)
- [Billing, Wallet, and Pricing](/docs/billing-and-wallet)