Your AI agent answers SMS
Connect SMS to your Fleece AI Team agent and it starts answering text messages on a real phone number. The agent reads the message, applies the instructions on its profile, and responds — in text, with the same knowledge and the same identity as on WhatsApp, Slack or email. SMS is the most universal channel: every phone receives it, and no app needs to be installed. A customer who texts the agent's number gets an answer from the same agent that answers on every other channel.
At a glance
- Provider
- Twilio
- Message types
- Text messages (SMS/MMS)
- Setup
- Connect a phone number from the Fleece AI Team dashboard
- Universal reach
- Every phone receives SMS — no app needed
- Response time
- Real-time — the agent answers as soon as it processes the message
- Plan
- Included on Team and Scale plans
The most universal channel
SMS reaches every phone. Your customer does not need WhatsApp, Telegram, or any other app — they text a number, and the agent answers. That universality makes SMS the fallback channel: when other channels fail, or when the customer prefers the simplicity of a text message, SMS is there.
The agent appears as a phone number — the one you connect from the dashboard. It reads the text message, processes it, and responds. The response follows the same instructions and knowledge as every other channel, so the answer by SMS is consistent with the answer on WhatsApp or Slack.
SMS has character limits — 160 characters per message for standard SMS. The agent handles this by splitting long responses across multiple messages. For longer conversations, the agent can suggest moving to a channel with more room, like WhatsApp or email.
Where SMS fits
Alerts and notifications are the most common case. A customer receives an SMS about a delivery update, and they can text back with a question — the agent answers.
Appointment reminders are another. The agent sends an SMS reminder and can respond to replies — confirming changes, answering questions about location or preparation.
SMS is not ideal for long conversations. The character limits, the cost per message, and the lack of rich formatting make it better suited for short exchanges. The agent can suggest moving to WhatsApp or email for more complex discussions.
Cost and billing
SMS is billed through Twilio at standard Twilio rates. Fleece AI Team does not add a per-message charge — the agent's SMS channel is included in your plan.
International SMS costs vary by destination. If your customers are in multiple countries, check Twilio's rate table for the countries you serve. The agent does not add any cost on top of the Twilio rate.
How to connect SMS to your AI agent
- 01
Create or select the agent
Open the agent's profile in the Fleece AI Team dashboard. Configure the instructions and knowledge the agent will apply to SMS responses.
- 02
Connect a phone number from the Channels page
Go to the Channels section of the dashboard, find SMS, and connect. You can use an existing Twilio number or purchase a new one.
- 03
Test with a text message
Send an SMS to the number. The agent should respond using the instructions and knowledge on its profile.
Questions, answered
Do I need a separate phone number for SMS?
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You can use the same Twilio number for both phone calls and SMS, or separate numbers. Configure it in the Channels section of the dashboard.
What happens with long SMS responses?
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The agent splits long responses across multiple messages. For very long conversations, it can suggest moving to WhatsApp or email.
Can the agent send international SMS?
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Yes. The agent sends SMS to any number that Twilio supports. International rates vary by destination.
What happens when the agent does not know the answer?
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It follows the instructions on its profile — it can say it does not know, suggest documentation, or defer to a human colleague.
Can the agent receive MMS (images)?
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The agent can receive MMS and extract text from image attachments. It processes the text content of the image before responding.
How is SMS billed?
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SMS is billed through Twilio at standard Twilio rates. Fleece AI Team does not add a per-message charge.
Read next
- AI agent on phone calls
The same provider as SMS — Twilio — but for voice calls where the agent speaks in its cloned voice.
- AI agent on WhatsApp
The same agent on the messaging channel your customers already use — where conversations are longer and richer.
- All channels
How one agent keeps the same identity across seven channels — same instructions, same knowledge, same voice.
Connect this channel
Create an agent and connect SMS from the Channels section of the dashboard. One agent, seven channels, one identity.