SMS via Chatlane

Want to text customers without setting up Twilio? SMS via Chatlane gives you a working two-way SMS number in a couple of clicks — Chatlane provisions and manages the number for you, so there's no Twilio account, no credentials, and no webhooks to deal with. Texts land in your inbox as conversations, exactly like every other channel, and replies send from the same number.

Already using Phone Calls via Chatlane? You can enable texting on the number you already have instead of buying a second one — see one number, many channels.

Prefer to bring your own Twilio account? That option still exists — choose SMS — via Twilio when adding the channel. This article is about the Chatlane-provided number, which needs no Twilio setup of your own.

How it's different from Bring-Your-Own Twilio

Everything after the number — conversations, assignment, AI agents, delivery status — works the same across both.

Step 1 — Add the channel

1. Open Inbox Settings → Channels and, under the SMS category, choose SMS — via Chatlane.
2. The number picker opens. There's nothing to connect — you go straight to choosing a number.

In your list of connected channels, this channel is labelled “SMS · via Chatlane” so you can tell it apart from any Bring-Your-Own-Twilio SMS channel at a glance.

Step 2 — Choose your number

If your team already holds Chatlane numbers that can text, they're offered first under Use an existing Chatlane number — picking one enables SMS on it without buying anything new. Otherwise, search for a fresh number:

• Country — currently United Kingdom. UK SMS numbers are mobile numbers (+44 7) — the number type that supports proper two-way texting, domestically and internationally. They're provided under Chatlane's own UK registration, so there's no paperwork for you to complete — just pick a number.
• Contains digits (optional) — enter a digit pattern you'd like the number to contain (e.g. 1234 or a repeated run like 8888) to find something memorable.

Results are shown five at a time — use Previous / Next to page through them. When you find one you like, click it, review the confirmation, and choose Get this number (or Use this number when reusing one). The channel goes live instantly — no approval wait.

Where's the United States? Texting US customers from a regular local number requires A2P 10DLC registration with US carriers — a per-business brand and campaign approval process that Chatlane doesn't automate yet, and unregistered traffic is blocked outright. US numbers therefore don't appear in the SMS picker for now. US numbers remain fully available for Phone Calls and WhatsApp via Chatlane, neither of which needs that registration.

Step 3 — Start texting

That's it — there is no step three worth the name:

• Incoming texts create conversations in this inbox (or thread into the contact's existing SMS conversation), with the sender matched or created as a contact automatically.
• Replies send from your Chatlane number, with delivery status tracked on each message.
• AI agents, assignment, tags, and everything else work exactly as on other channels.

One number, many channels

A Chatlane number isn't locked to one channel type. The same number can simultaneously power a Phone Call channel, an SMS channel, and a WhatsApp channel:

• When adding a channel, compatible numbers your team already owns appear under Use an existing Chatlane number, along with what they're currently used for.
• Reusing a number never disturbs its other channels — enabling SMS on your voice number doesn't change how calls behave, and vice versa.
• A number can't be used by two channels of the same type (that would make it ambiguous where an incoming text belongs).

This means one memorable number can be the single line your customers call, text, and WhatsApp.

See all your team's numbers

Every Chatlane-provided number your team holds is listed under Team Settings → Phone Numbers (admins only), with the channels each one serves and a link to each channel's settings. Numbers marked Not connected aren't serving any channel — reuse one the next time you add a channel, or click Release to return it to the carrier and stop paying for it. Releasing is permanent.

Removing the channel

When you delete a Chatlane SMS channel:

• If the number is only used by this channel, Chatlane releases it so you're no longer billed for it.
• If the number is shared with other channels (e.g. a Phone Call channel), only texting is switched off — the number stays and its other channels keep working. It's released when the last channel using it is removed.

Billing

Billing for Chatlane-provided numbers is coming shortly. Chatlane provisions and manages the number under its own account; pricing and usage details will be announced in a forthcoming billing update. Until then, reach out to support with any questions about provisioned numbers.

Tips & troubleshooting

• No numbers matched your search. Clear the Contains filter — some patterns are rare.
• The United Kingdom doesn't appear in the country picker. Self-serve UK SMS provisioning hasn't been enabled on your deployment yet — contact support.
• A number I own isn't offered for reuse. Only numbers with SMS capability are offered, and a number already carrying an SMS channel won't be offered for a second one.
• Texts to the US aren't delivering. US-bound SMS from unregistered numbers is filtered or blocked by US carriers regardless of provider — this is the A2P 10DLC requirement described above, not a fault with your number.

Related

• Phone calls via Chatlane — get a voice number the same way, and keep your existing line.
• WhatsApp via Chatlane — put the same number on WhatsApp Business.
• Connect your channels — overview of every channel type.