SMS Integration

Send text message alerts using Twilio.

Prerequisites

You need a Twilio account:

1. Sign up at twilio.com
2. Get a phone number that can send SMS
3. Note your Account SID and Auth Token

Configuration

Field	Description
Name	Descriptive name (e.g., "On-Call SMS")
Account SID	Your Twilio Account SID
Auth Token	Your Twilio Auth Token
From Number	Your Twilio phone number (+1234567890)
To Numbers	Recipient phone numbers (comma-separated)

Phone Number Format

Use E.164 format for all phone numbers:

+14155551234  (US)
+442071234567 (UK)
+33123456789  (France)

Message Content

SMS alerts are concise due to character limits:

[CRITICAL] Production API Health
Timeout - Request timed out
https://app.pingward.com/issues/...

Multiple Recipients

Add multiple numbers separated by commas:

+14155551234, +14155555678

Each recipient receives an individual message.

Credits and Pricing

SMS messages consume credits from your Pingward plan:

• Each SMS sent uses 1 credit
• Credits are included with paid plans
• Check usage in Settings → Billing

Twilio also charges per message (billed separately through Twilio).

Best Practices

Reserve for Critical Issues

SMS is intrusive. Use routing rules to only send SMS for critical issues:

Conditions: Severity = Critical
Actions: SMS Integration

Combine with Other Channels

Use SMS as a backup, not primary:

1. Slack/Email for all issues
2. SMS only for Critical after 5 minutes
3. Phone call for unacknowledged Critical after 15 minutes

On-Call Rotation

Update phone numbers as on-call rotates:

• Manual: Edit integration each rotation
• Automated: Use webhook integration with your scheduling tool

Troubleshooting

Invalid Phone Number

• Ensure E.164 format (+country code + number)
• Remove spaces, dashes, parentheses
• Verify the number can receive SMS

Authentication Failed

• Verify Account SID is correct
• Check Auth Token hasn't been regenerated
• Ensure account is active (not suspended)

Message Not Received

• Check Twilio console for delivery status
• Verify recipient hasn't blocked the number
• Check for carrier filtering

Rate Limiting

Twilio and carriers have rate limits:

• Don't send more than 1 message per second per number
• High volume may trigger carrier filtering
• Use Twilio's messaging service for better deliverability

Twilio Trial Accounts

Trial accounts have limitations:

• Can only send to verified numbers
• Messages include "Sent from a Twilio trial account"
• Limited credits

Upgrade to a paid Twilio account for production use.