Your Community number is the phone number Members text to reach you. Members can call it and hear your voicemail greeting, but calls don't come through to you and callers can't leave a message. If you'd rather Members text a landline you already have, SMS Hosting sends texts to that number through Community while calls stay with your current voice provider.
Who this applies to: All Leaders with a Community number. SMS Hosting is for Leaders who already have a landline that can receive texts.
What is Phone Numbers and SMS Hosting
Your Community number is the number your Members text, and the number your messages come from.
Your Community number handles texts only. Members can call it, but:
- They hear your voicemail greeting. The default greeting tells them they can text the number and offers "press any key to be texted first," which starts your sign-up messages by text.
- By default, callers can't leave a voicemail.
- The call isn't forwarded to your phone or the Community app.
A Community number can't be made voice-enabled.
SMS Hosting lets a landline you already own send and receive texts through Community. Texts to the number route through Community. Calls to the number still go to your landline's current voice provider, so your phone service doesn't change.
Why should I use Phone Numbers and SMS Hosting?
Members already know how to reach you, so the number you text from matters. A Community number gives you a dedicated number for your audience, and its greeting turns callers into Members: anyone who calls can press a key and get your sign-up messages by text.
SMS Hosting suits a business that already has a well-known landline, such as the number on its website or storefront. Members can text the number they already have, and you keep your existing phone service for calls.
How do I use it?
Customizing your voicemail greeting
- In the Community Dashboard, go to Settings > Customize.
- Upload your greeting in the Voicemail section (up to 45 seconds in length, .mp3 format).
Setting up SMS Hosting
- Check with your voice provider that your landline is SMS-enabled. The landline must already exist and be able to receive texts.
- Submit a request to Community Support to set up SMS Hosting.
Once SMS Hosting is set up, voicemail recording no longer works on that number.
Common questions
Are members able to call and leave me voicemails?
Members can call your Community number, but they can't leave a voicemail. They hear your voicemail greeting, which by default tells them to text the number and lets them press any key to be texted first. Calls aren't forwarded to your phone or the Community app.
To change what callers hear, see Customizing your voicemail greeting. If you need a custom voice experience, Community offers one as a paid services engagement. Contact your Client Solutions Manager or email yourfriends@community.com.
Can I make my Community number accept calls?
No. A Community number can't be voice-enabled. If you want one number that Members can both text and call, use SMS Hosting with a landline you already have. Calls go to your voice provider and texts go through Community.