SMS & WhatsApp Messaging Setup Guide

Overview

Velaro supports two-way messaging via SMS and WhatsApp Business. Both channels route customer messages into the same Velaro inbox as live chat, so your agents handle all channels from one place.

• SMS — powered by Twilio, uses US phone numbers (local, toll-free, or short code)
• WhatsApp — powered by Meta's WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API)

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SMS: Phone Number Types

Velaro SMS supports three number types. Choose based on your volume and timeline.

Local (10DLC) Numbers

• Standard 10-digit US numbers (e.g. +1 415 555 0100)
• Best for: conversational customer support, appointment reminders, 1:1 messaging
• Cost: ~$1/month per number via Velaro
• Throughput: ~1 message/second per number
• 10DLC compliance: All local numbers require A2P brand + campaign registration with US carriers. Velaro handles this automatically when you provision a number.

Toll-Free Numbers

• 800/833/844/855/866/877/888 numbers
• Best for: higher-volume notifications, customer support at scale
• Cost: ~$2/month per number
• Throughput: ~3 messages/second (with TF verification)
• Provisioned instantly — no waiting period

Short Codes

• 5–6 digit numbers (e.g. 55555)
• Best for: mass marketing, OTP/2FA, very high throughput (up to 500 msg/sec)
• Cost: ~$1,500/month dedicated or ~$300/month shared
• Requires 8–12 weeks for carrier approval and use-case review
• Contact Velaro support to initiate a short code application

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SMS: Provisioning a New Number

1. Go to Channels → SMS in the Velaro admin.

2. Click Add Phone Number.

3. Choose Buy a Number tab.

4. Select number type: Local or Toll-Free.

5. For Local: enter a 3-digit area code and click Find Numbers.

6. Select a number from the results dropdown.

7. Choose which team should receive SMS conversations.

8. Click Purchase Number — the number is active immediately.

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SMS: Porting an Existing Number

You can move your existing business phone number to Velaro without changing the number.

1. Go to Channels → SMS → Add Phone Number → Port a Number.

2. Enter your current phone number (10 digits, US only).

3. Enter your current carrier name, account number, and transfer PIN.

4. Select which team receives conversations from this number.

5. Click Submit Porting Request.

Porting typically takes 5–10 business days. Your number stays active on your current carrier until the port completes. A Letter of Authorization (LOA) may be required.

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SMS: Routing Conversations

Each phone number is independently assigned to a team and an optional workflow:

• Team — all inbound SMS conversations from that number route to that team's queue. Agents can reply from the Velaro inbox — replies appear as SMS to the customer.
• Workflow — if assigned, the workflow starts automatically the moment a new SMS conversation begins on that number. This lets you run a different bot or automation per number (e.g. a sales bot on your 800 number and a support bot on a local number).

To change routing: go to Channels → SMS, click Edit next to the number, and choose a different team or workflow.

Important notes:

• A number with no workflow assigned routes straight to agents with no automation.
• Disabling a workflow in the Workflows editor does NOT disconnect it from a number — the workflow will still trigger. To stop automation, either remove the workflow assignment in the number's settings or delete the workflow.
• If the assigned workflow is deleted, new conversations on that number will have no automation (agents still receive them).

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SMS: Quota & Usage

Your subscription plan includes a monthly SMS conversation limit. You can view your current usage at the top of Channels → SMS — the progress bar shows conversations used vs. your plan limit.

When the limit is reached, new conversations are blocked for the rest of the month. To increase your limit, contact your Velaro account manager.

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SMS: Shared vs. Dedicated Numbers

If your company has both an IVR (voice) line and an SMS line, each should use a separate Twilio number:

• Assign the IVR number in Channels → IVR
• Assign the SMS-only number in Channels → SMS

A single number can be used for both voice and SMS only if your Twilio account supports it and Velaro support has configured it. Contact support before attempting to share a number.

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WhatsApp Business Setup

Requirements

• A Meta Business Manager account (business.facebook.com)
• A verified WhatsApp Business number (can be a new number or an existing mobile number not already on WhatsApp)
• Admin access to the Facebook Page connected to your business

How to Connect

1. Go to Channels → WhatsApp in Velaro admin.

2. Click Add WhatsApp Account.

3. You'll be guided through Meta's WhatsApp Business sign-up flow.

4. Log in with Facebook, verify your business, and register your WhatsApp number.

5. Once complete, the account appears in your connected accounts list.

Understanding the Phone Number ID

After connecting, Velaro displays a Phone Number ID (e.g. 310326735507789). This is Meta's internal identifier for your WhatsApp Business phone number — it is NOT your actual phone number.

To see your actual WhatsApp number, go to Meta Business Manager → WhatsApp Manager → Phone Numbers.

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WhatsApp: Message Templates

WhatsApp requires pre-approved message templates for outbound (business-initiated) messages. Customer-initiated conversations are free-form for 24 hours after the last customer message.

• Templates are managed in Meta Business Manager → Message Templates
• Velaro can send template messages via workflow nodes
• Common templates: appointment reminders, order confirmations, support follow-ups

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Troubleshooting

SMS messages not delivering

• Verify the number is active in Channels → SMS
• Check that 10DLC registration is complete (Velaro auto-registers, but contact support if you see delivery failures)
• Toll-free numbers require TF verification for high volume — contact support

WhatsApp: "account not connected" error

• The access token may have expired. Remove and re-add the WhatsApp account
• Verify your Meta Business Manager account is in Good Standing
• Ensure the Facebook Page connected to your WhatsApp account is still active

Port not completing

• Confirm the account number and PIN match exactly what your carrier has on file
• Some carriers require a physical LOA signature — Velaro support will contact you if needed