Set up SMS messaging in Amazon Connect - Amazon Connect

Set up SMS messaging in Amazon Connect

You can enable SMS messaging on Amazon Connect so your customers can text you from their mobile device. With Amazon Lex, you can automate responses to their questions, saving agents valuable time and effort.

This topic explains how to set up and test SMS messaging for Amazon Connect. You use AWS End User Messaging SMS to procure an SMS-enabled phone number, enable two-way SMS on the number, and then import it into Amazon Connect.

Step 1: Request a number in AWS End User Messaging SMS

Important

Some countries require phone numbers and sender IDs to be registered for use in the country. It can take up to 15 business days to process a registration request after it is submitted. We strongly recommend you begin this process early. For more information about registering, see Registrations.

We also strongly recommend reviewing Best practices for requesting SMS numbers before requesting a number.

For instructions for using the CLI to perform this step, see Request a phone number in the AWS End User Messaging SMS User Guide.

  1. Open the AWS SMS console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/sms-voice/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Configurations, choose Phone numbers and then Request originator.

  3. On the Select country page you must choose the Message destination country from the drop down that messages will be sent to. Choose Next.

  4. On the Messaging use case section, enter the following:

    • Under Number capabilities choose either SMS or Voice, depending on your requirements.

      Important

      Capabilities for SMS and Voice can't be changed after the phone number has been purchased.

      • SMS – Choose if you need SMS capabilities.

      • Voice (text to audio) – Choose if you need voice capabilities.

    • Under Estimated monthly SMS message volume per month – optional choose the estimated number of SMS messages you will send each month.

    • For Company headquarters - optional choose either of the following:

      • Local – Choose this if your company headquarters is in the same country as your customers who will receive SMS messages. For example, you would choose this option if your headquarters is in the United States and your users who will receive messages are also in the United States.

      • International – Choose this if your company headquarters is not in the same country as your customers who will receive SMS messages.

    • For Two-way messaging choose Yes if you require two-way messaging.

  5. Choose Next.

  6. Under Select originator type choose one of the recommended phone number type or one of the available number types. The available options are based on the use case information you filled out in the previous steps.

  7. Choose Next.

  8. On Review and request you can verify and edit your request before submitting it. Choose Request.

  9. A Registration Required window may appear depending on the type of phone number you requested. Your phone number or sender ID is associated with this registration and can't send messages until your registration has been approved. For more information about registrations requirements, see Registrations.

    1. For Registration form name enter a friendly name.

    2. Choose Begin registration to finish registering the phone number or Register later.

      Important

      Your phone number or sender ID can't send messages until your registration has been approved.

      You are still billed the recurring monthly lease fee for the phone number regardless of registration status.

Step 2: Enable two-way SMS on the phone number

After you have successfully procured a phone number from AWS End User Messaging SMS, you enable two-way SMS on the phone number with Amazon Connect as the message destination. You can enable two-way SMS messaging for individual phone numbers. When one of your customers sends a message to your phone number, the message body is sent to Amazon Connect.

For instructions for using the CLI to perform this step, see Two-way SMS messaging in the AWS End User Messaging SMS User Guide.

Note

Amazon Connect for two-way SMS is available in the AWS Regions listed in Chat messaging: SMS subtype.

  1. Open the AWS SMS console at https://console.aws.amazon.com/sms-voice/.

  2. In the navigation pane, under Configurations, choose Phone numbers.

  3. On the Phone numbers page choose a phone number.

  4. On the Two-way SMS tab choose the Edit settings button.

  5. On the Edit settings page choose Enable two-way message, as shown in following image.

    The AWS End User Messaging SMS edit settings page.
  6. For Destination type choose Amazon Connect.

  7. For Amazon Connect in Two-way channel role choose Choose existing IAM roles.

  8. In the Existing IAM roles drop down choose an existing IAM role as the message destination. For example IAM policies, see IAM policies for Amazon Connect in the AWS End User Messaging SMS User Guide.

    Tip

    If you can't create a policy or role, double-check that your Amazon Connect instance is in a Region supported by Amazon Connect SMS.

  9. Choose Save changes.

  10. In the Import Phone Number to Amazon Connect window:

    1. For the Incoming messages destination drop down choose the Amazon Connect instance that will receive incoming messages.

      The AWS End User Messaging SMS import phone numbers page.
    2. Choose Import Phone Number.

  11. After the number is successfully imported to Amazon Connect, you can view it in the Amazon Connect admin website: In the left navigation, choose Channels, Phone numbers. The SMS number appears on the Phone numbers page, as shown in the following image.

    The Amazon Connect admin website, the Phone numbers page.

Step 3: Update flows to branch on SMS contacts

If you have existing flows that you want to branch when a contact uses SMS, add a Check contact attributes block to your flows. This block enables you to send SMS contacts to a specific queue, or take another action.

  1. Add a Check contact attributes block to your flow, and open the Properties page.

  2. In Attribute to check section, set Namespace to Segment attributes and key to Subtype.

    For more information about Segment attributes, see SegmentAttributes in the ContactTraceRecord topic.

  3. In the Conditions to check section, set condition to Equals and value to connect:SMS.

    The following image of a Properties page shows it's configured to branch when the contact comes in on the SMS channel.

    The properties page of the check contact attributes block.
  4. Associate the SMS phone number with the flow: In the left navigation, choose Channels, Phone numbers, choose the SMS number, and then choose Edit.

    The Edit phone number page.
  5. Under Flow/IVR, choose the flow you updated, and then choose Save.

    The properties page of the check contact attributes block.
Tip

When you first purchase a phone number, the phone number's status is Pending. When the phone number is ready to use, the phone number's status is Active. If the phone number requires registration, then you must complete that step before the phone number's status changes to Active.

Step 4: Test sending and receiving SMS messages

In this step you use the Contact Control Panel (CCP) and a mobile phone to test sending and receiving SMS messages.

  1. In your CCP, set your status to Available.

  2. Using a mobile device, send an SMS to the phone number that you requested in Step 1: Request a number in AWS End User Messaging SMS.

    Tip

    If your AWS End User Messaging SMS phone number is still in the SMS sandbox, you can only test sending and receiving SMS messages with verified destination numbers that you have configured. For move instructions, see Moving from the SMS sandbox to production.

    The agent's CCP and the customer's phone sending SMS messages.

Next steps

We recommend the following steps to provide the best experience for your agents and customers.