SMS fallback sends an SMS message when the original message fails to reach its intended recipient under specified conditions within a set time. This feature improves message delivery rates and ensures timely delivery of critical, time-sensitive messages—such as one-time passwords (OTPs) or deadline notifications.
Before you begin
Activate Chat App Message Service.
You have activated Short Message Service (SMS).
Complete the Sender ID registration process in SMS.
Procedure
Fallback Settings and Enabling the Fallback Switch
Log on to the Chat App Message Service console.
Add a fallback rule. For more information, see Fallback rule.
Add a fallback policy. For more information, see Fallback policy.
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Channel Management and select the Channel ID for which you want to enable SMS fallback.
NoteOnly WhatsApp and Viber channels support SMS fallback.
On the channel details page, in the navigation pane on the left, choose Service Settings.
On the Service Settings page, turn on the Activate SMS switch.
NoteYou must turn on this switch to use SMS fallback.
Use SMS fallback when sending messages
In the navigation pane on the left, choose Channel Management and select the Channel ID you want to use.
On the channel details page, in the navigation pane on the left, choose Message Sending.
Select the desired Language, Send Message, Send Account, and Send Type.
From the Fallback Policy drop-down list, select a policy.
Select the Fallback Trigger.
Undelivered: The message was not delivered to the recipient.
Unread: The message was delivered but the recipient did not open it.
Send Failed: The message failed to send.
Set the Fallback Message Content. This content is sent when the fallback is triggered.
Set the Fallback Duration (Seconds). After a message is sent, the fallback is triggered if the specified time elapses before the system receives a status report that matches the fallback trigger. The value must be between 60 and 43,200 seconds. If you do not specify a fallback duration, the fallback is triggered only when the system receives a status report that matches the trigger condition. For example, if you select Unread as the fallback trigger and do not specify a fallback duration, an SMS fallback is triggered after the system receives an unread status report.
If no Delivered status report is received within 60 seconds, the system triggers the SMS fallback and sends the fallback message. At the 80-second mark, the Delivered status report for the original WhatsApp message arrives. In this case, you are billed for both the WhatsApp message and the fallback SMS message.
Select the Import Method for recipient numbers.
Click Send to send the message.