If you get or port a Virtual Mobile Number on the Atomic portal, the number is not only capable to receive calls, but SMS as well. All SMS that is received on your mobile numbers is listed in the Atomic platform under Reporting > Receive SMS. You can also get SMS received to be delivered to your own application by setting up a web-hook.
If you have Virtual Mobile numbers or SMS enabled numbers (all US numbers are automatically SMS enabled), you can receive SMS via 2 methods:
- Through a webhook
- Using an Automation
Webhook
A webhook is a versatile method to redirect an incoming SMS to your application. This is so you have full control of how you would like to handle in the incoming messages.
To start receiving SMS for your mobile number on your own application, you must first setup the Incoming SMS webhook. Webhooks are a great way for the Atomic platform to deliver SMS to an external app. A web-hook is essentially a POST request sent to a callback URL. With Atomic, this webhook provides a simple way to allow users to send SMS messages to your web service. The webhook post data from Atomic to any chosen service capable of accepting a JSON payload. Once a webhook is added to the Account, it will start listening in on for any incoming SMS messages and proceeds to send notifications to an external web services.
Create an Incoming SMS web-hook
To configure the webhook, from the Atomic portal, head Over to Services > Voice > Manage (select the Voice Service that has the Virtual Mobile number assigned) and click on the Connections tab. Select the Callback URL tab and enter your web service url in the Incoming SMS Webhook parameter.
SMS Webhook Type - There are 2 versions available and is mainly a different ppayload. Please review the below sample to see the different response payload.
Create a URL on your app's server to accept and process a POST request with a JSON payload
Your web-hook service will receive messages as per the below schema. The webhook is a RESTful service that enables your service to process the interchange of JSON formatted messages via HTTPS protocols.
Version 1
{
"to": "61456789012",
"from": "61499888999",
"timestamp": "2022-06-28 21:53:47",
"type": "text",
"message": "This is an incoming SMS test."
}Version 2
{
"to": "61456789012",
"from": "61499888999",
"timestamp": "2022-06-28 21:53:47",
"type": "text",
"message": "This is an incoming SMS test.",
"id": "210181"
}Automation
For more information on the various types of automation that is available, please refer to this documentation -
Interacting with an Incoming SMS on the Atomic Platform
You can also reply to the SMS directly from the Atomic portal. To find out more on how to achieve this, check out: