Frequently Asked Questions

The questions we hear most, answered in one place and grouped by topic.

Business Texting

Does each person get their own texting inbox?

Yes. Each extension has its own texting inbox in the Voice Portal and the Cloudspire Voice iPhone app, and conversations look much like the messages on a cell phone. Texts belong to a phone number: the texts that arrive on a number go to one extension, to email, or to both. To give each person a private inbox, give each person their own texting number. See Messages.

Can several people share one texting number?

Yes, in two ways. The number can deliver its texts to email, including a shared mailbox your team already uses. Or, with the Call Center add-on, the number can feed an SMS queue: conversations wait in the queue, an agent claims one and works it, and can transfer it to another agent or queue or release it back for someone else. SMS queues are worked from the Voice Portal in a web browser. See SMS Queues.

Can a manager or coworker read someone else’s texts?

There is no supervisor view: an account administrator cannot open or browse other people’s text conversations. Conversations belong to the phone number, though, so anyone on your team who texts a contact from the same number joins that conversation and sees its history. For private conversations, give each person their own texting number. When a team should share conversations, use a shared number delivered to email or an SMS queue, described above.

Is there a limit on how many people we can text?

No. The carriers’ limit of 49 counts your own texting phone numbers on one registered campaign, not the people you text. Texting 500 clients, or 5,000, is not affected by it. See How many phone numbers can one campaign cover?

Which plan do I need to send and receive texts?

Receiving texts needs your account’s text message allowance: the SMS Message Package on a Voice plan, or the AI SMS allowance included with a paid Cloudspire AI plan. Sending texts also needs a registered SMS campaign, which is available on the Voice Pro plan and the paid Cloudspire AI plans. Compare plans on the Plan tab.

What does texting cost?

Texts you send and texts you receive both count toward your monthly text message allowance. Your plan includes a starter allowance, you can choose a larger SMS Message Package on the Plan tab, and messages beyond your package are billed at its per-message rate. The Plan tab shows every package with its price and per-message rate, and a usage meter shows how much of this month’s allowance you have used. There are no separate carrier fees: carrier charges are included in your allowance and its per-message rate. Registering a campaign has its own fees, listed under Fees in the SMS Campaigns guide.

Can texts include photos or attachments?

Photos you receive appear in the conversation in the Voice Portal and the iPhone app, and in email when texts are delivered there. Other attachments, such as a PDF, arrive by email and as a download link in the Voice Portal; the iPhone app shows photos only. To send a photo, use the picture button in Messages in the Voice Portal (one JPEG, PNG or GIF per message; see Picture Messages), or send it by email with Email-to-SMS, which your administrator sets up. The iPhone app receives photos but does not send them yet.

How long is texting history kept, and can I search it?

Text conversations are kept for one year, and photos and attachments for 30 days. In the Voice Portal you can filter your conversation list by name, number, or the latest message, but there is no search across your full message history yet, and the iPhone app has no search.

What happens to an employee’s texts when they leave?

Nothing is lost, because conversations belong to the phone number, not to the person. Once that number is pointed to another team member’s extension, that person picks up each conversation with its full history the next time the client texts, or as soon as they text that client.

Can we register for texting ourselves?

Yes. Your account’s primary contact registers your brand and campaign on the SMS Campaigns tab of the customer portal, and the SMS Campaigns guide walks through every field, with a checklist to use before you submit. Every brand and campaign submission carries a fee, whether the carriers approve it or decline it, so read the guide first. If you would rather not do it yourself, we can register it for you as a paid setup service.

SMS Campaigns (10DLC)

Registration itself, field by field, is in the SMS Campaigns guide.

How long does registration take?

Brand identity verification through The Campaign Registry typically takes a few minutes once the Cloudspire team approves your submission. Campaign approval by carriers typically takes 3-5 business days, though carrier backlogs can stretch it to several weeks. Cloudspire has no control over carrier review timelines. You’ll see status updates on your SMS Campaigns tab throughout the process.

Why do I need to register?

US mobile carriers require 10DLC registration for all businesses sending SMS messages to American phone numbers. Registration helps carriers verify that your business is legitimate and that recipients have consented to receive your messages. Without registration, your messages will be filtered or blocked by carriers before they reach your customers.

What’s the difference between “Low Volume Mixed” and “Mixed”?

“Low Volume Mixed” is designed for small businesses sending fewer than a few thousand messages per month across multiple message types. “Mixed” is for higher-volume senders. Most Cloudspire customers should choose Low Volume Mixed.

How many phone numbers can one campaign cover?

At most 49. The carriers (T-Mobile) cap every 10DLC texting campaign at 49 phone numbers, for every business. A 50th number is not added to the campaign and cannot send text messages, though it can still receive them. Extra campaigns are not a way around the limit. To use more than 49 texting numbers on one campaign, the campaign needs a carrier-approved Number Pool, which can be requested only after the campaign is approved; contact us before you reach the limit. See Hard limit: 49 phone numbers per campaign.

Can I have multiple campaigns?

Yes. How many campaigns you can register is set by the number of 10DLC campaigns on your account; every campaign occupies one, whatever its status. If you are already at that number, raise the quantity on the Services tab and then register the next campaign. The SMS Campaigns tab shows your most recent campaign.

What if my brand verification fails?

The Campaign Registry will provide feedback about why verification failed. The most common reasons are:

• The EIN does not match the business name in IRS records (check your EIN confirmation letter).
• The business address does not match records in public business registries.
• The business name is a trade name rather than the legal registered name.
• The website is down, doesn’t match the brand, or contains prohibited content.

Update the relevant fields to match your official records and resubmit. If you are unsure what records TCR is checking against, contact the Cloudspire support team for help.

I am a sole proprietor with an EIN. Which should I choose?

Choose Private / For-profit Corporation and use your EIN. In TCR’s system, “Sole Proprietor” means you have no EIN at all. Registering with an EIN gives you higher throughput, more phone numbers, and fewer restrictions than the sole proprietor tier.

My business sells alcohol/CBD/firearms. Can I still register?

No. SHAFT-C content is prohibited on 10DLC; this applies even if your SMS messages don’t mention these products. If your website or business is primarily associated with a SHAFT-C category, the brand registration will be rejected. There is currently no exception process for standard 10DLC.

Can I use URL shorteners in my messages?

Public URL shorteners like bit.ly, tinyurl, goo.gl, and similar services are banned. Use full URLs from your own domain. If your URLs are long, consider setting up a branded short domain (e.g., links.yourcompany.com).

Do I need to do anything after my campaign is active?

Usually not. Once your campaign is active, the phone numbers on your account that have a texting destination are added to the campaign automatically, up to the carriers’ limit of 49, and you can start sending text messages. If you have more than 49 texting numbers, see Hard limit: 49 phone numbers per campaign first. (Receiving inbound texts only needs your text message allowance, so it works as soon as that is active, even before the campaign is approved.) Your registration remains active as long as your account is in good standing.

What if I need to change my campaign details after it’s active?

Contact the Cloudspire support team. Content changes to an active campaign (sample messages, keywords, your description or message flow) require a review and may need to go through the carrier approval process again. Your use case and sub use cases are the exception: they are fixed once the campaign is registered, so adding or changing one means a new campaign registration, which uses another campaign slot on your plan.

Porting: Moving Numbers In and Out

Porting is the process of moving a phone number from one carrier to another. You keep the number; only the carrier behind it changes. A transfer to Cloudspire is a port-in. A transfer away from Cloudspire to another provider is a port-out. The two work very differently, because the carrier receiving the number always runs the transfer.

Moving numbers away from Cloudspire (port-out)

Who controls a port-out?

The carrier you are moving to. Under the number portability rules, the receiving carrier submits the transfer request, receives the confirmed transfer date, and completes the move. Cloudspire is the losing carrier in a port-out. We do not schedule it, speed it up, or hold it, and we cannot change the date your new carrier is given. Every question about the timeline of a port-out is one for your new carrier.

Do I need a customer service record (CSR), an account number, a PIN, or a letter from Cloudspire?

No. Cloudspire does not issue customer-facing account numbers, PINs, or passcodes, and does not produce a customer service record or a letter of authorization for a port-out. Your account is identified by your company name and your email address, so there is nothing to look up in the portal and nothing to request from our team. Your new carrier prepares the letter of authorization for you to sign, and the transfer is validated against the numbers themselves.

What does my new carrier need from me?

• The phone numbers you are moving.
• Your company name, exactly as it appears on your Cloudspire account.
• Your business address.
• If their form insists on an account number, enter the main phone number you are moving. Cloudspire does not check it.
• If their form asks for a PIN or passcode, leave it blank. Cloudspire does not assign one.

Your new carrier will also ask you to sign their letter of authorization. That is their document, not ours.

Do I need to open a ticket with Cloudspire before porting out?

No. Your new carrier handles the port-out request from start to finish, and you do not need to tell us first. The one thing a port-out does not do is cancel your service, so if you are leaving Cloudspire entirely, read Does porting my numbers out cancel my Cloudspire service? below.

Will Cloudspire delay or refuse the transfer if I owe a balance?

No. Federal number portability rules say that once you have requested service from a new carrier, your old carrier may not delay or refuse to port your number because of an outstanding balance or an early termination fee, and Cloudspire follows that rule. Any balance on your account, the notice period, and any remaining term under your agreement are still owed. They are billed separately and have no effect on the transfer.

How long does a port-out take, and who tells me the date?

Your new carrier does. They receive the confirmed transfer date from the porting process and it is theirs to communicate. Cloudspire cannot see their timeline, cannot move the date, and does not know the date before they do. If a port-out seems slow, the answer is with the carrier that submitted it.

Will Cloudspire tell me when a port-out request arrives?

When a port-out request against your numbers arrives, a Port-out alert ticket opens on your account and appears under Support Tickets in the customer portal, and our team reviews it. It does not appear on the Porting tab, which shows only transfers into Cloudspire, and we do not email you about it; your new carrier keeps you informed. If you see a Port-out alert for a transfer you did not authorize, reply on that ticket or contact support immediately: an unauthorized port-out is challenged with the carriers, and the earlier that starts, the more can be done about it.

Does porting my numbers out cancel my Cloudspire service?

To cancel, submit a cancellation request yourself. Either open the Plan tab in the customer portal, click Change plan on the plan you are ending, and choose Cancel this plan, or open a support ticket from the Support Tickets tab (the New Ticket button) asking to cancel. Submitting the request from the portal counts as your written notice.

Cancellation is governed by your agreement with Cloudspire. Cancellation requires 60 days' notice, and if you signed a Statement of Work with a service term, the remaining months of that term are owed when you cancel early. If you have no signed agreement of your own, the Master Service Agreement applies. Our Customer Service team finalizes every cancellation with you, and your service keeps running until they do. The full process is on the Cancelling a Plan page.

What happens to a number after it leaves?

When the port-out completes, the number is deactivated on your account. Its routing is removed and its 911 registration is withdrawn, because we cannot answer for a number on 911 once another carrier holds it. Anything that pointed at the number moves to another of your numbers first: your outbound caller ID, a queue's callback number, or the number an AI campaign dials from. If it was your last number, your outbound caller ID is left unset and any AI campaign is paused rather than deleted, and a banner in the portal tells you what to set before outbound calls and 911 service resume.

Can I move some of my numbers and keep my service?

Yes. Port out the numbers you no longer need and keep the rest. Your plan and your remaining numbers are unaffected. If you want a smaller plan afterwards, adjust the quantities on the Services tab.

I am in a term agreement. Can I still port out?

Yes. A term never blocks a transfer. The remaining months of the term are still owed under your agreement, the same as any early cancellation.

Bringing numbers to Cloudspire (port-in)

Where do I start?

In the customer portal, on the Porting tab: click Port a number to us and fill in the form. You can also add the numbers you want to transfer during online checkout when you first sign up. The Porting tab requires Porting access; your account's primary contact has it automatically, and other contacts can be given it by Cloudspire support.

What should I have ready?

Your most recent bill from your current carrier. Almost every delayed transfer was rejected because something on the request did not match the current carrier's records, so copy these exactly as the bill shows them:

• The account name, word for word.
• The service address the numbers are registered to, which is not always your mailing address.
• The billing telephone number: the main number your current carrier lists for the account, usually one of the numbers you are moving. It must be a number with that carrier, and every number on one request must be with the same carrier.
• The account number, and the PIN or passcode if your carrier uses one. Some carriers require you to call them to have a transfer PIN generated.
• Whether you are moving every number on the account or only some of them. Moving only some is a partial transfer and takes longer.

Numbers that are frozen by your current carrier, or that already have a pending order on them, cannot be transferred until your current provider clears that.

How long does a port-in take?

Most transfers finish in one to two weeks. A straightforward move from another internet-based provider typically takes 2 to 5 business days; a carrier that reviews transfers by hand, or a reseller in the middle, 7 to 14 business days; large blocks, several billing accounts, partial transfers, or a carrier still working on paper, 2 to 6 weeks. The losing carrier sets the activation date once it accepts the request, and that date appears on your order.

Does it cost anything?

No. Porting a number in is included at no charge. Once the number arrives, it counts toward your plan's phone number allowance and is billed like any other number on your account.

Can I port a number in on a trial?

No. Number porting is a paid capability. Convert to a paid plan first, then start the transfer.

Can I port a toll-free number?

Yes. Toll-free transfers need a signed letter of authorization: we email you a signing request, and the same authorization can be signed right from the Porting tab. Toll-free numbers activate between 8:00 AM and 6:00 PM Eastern, so a requested time outside that window is not accepted for a toll-free port.

Will my phones go down during the transfer?

No. Your current service keeps working until the confirmed activation date, and there is no planned outage. Set up the routing for each number before that date, because a number that arrives with nowhere to ring simply does not connect. Many customers order one new Cloudspire number to test everything while the transfer runs.

My transfer says Needs Attention. What now?

The carrier rejected something, almost always a small mismatch with your current provider's records. Open the transfer on the Porting tab, correct the flagged details, and resubmit. The clock restarts from resubmission, so a request left sitting is the most expensive kind of delay. If the carrier refused the request outright, it stays listed as a draft, our team is notified automatically, and we follow up with you.

Can I change the activation date or stop the transfer?

Yes, once the carrier has confirmed a date. Open the transfer on the Porting tab to move the date (up to 30 days out) or to stop the transfer. Carriers allow three date changes on a confirmed transfer, and a further one risks them cancelling the transfer outright. Inside two days of activation a change is best effort, and inside the last day it has to go through our team. Stopping a transfer sends a cancellation request to the carrier; it is not stopped until they confirm, and close to the activation date they can refuse, in which case your numbers still move. Watch the status until it says cancelled.

Can I text from a ported number?

Once the number is live it behaves like any other number on your account. Sending from a regular 10-digit number needs an approved 10DLC registration, which you start on the SMS Campaigns tab, and toll-free numbers cannot send texts. Calling and receiving are never affected by the registration.

Can I keep a number with another carrier and still use it here?

Yes, in a limited way. A number that stays with another carrier can be registered on Cloudspire for 911 service or used as your outbound caller ID, but its calls and texts still terminate with the other carrier, so it cannot receive text messages here. See Phone Numbers.

Related

• Messages: texting and internal chat in the Voice Portal.
• SMS Campaigns: registering your brand and campaign to send texts.
• Phone Numbers: buying, claiming, and removing numbers, and caller ID controls.
• Cancelling a Plan: how a cancellation is requested and what happens to your numbers and account.