Pricing update
Twilio is a developer platform that Momence and other software companies use to build messaging tools that use SMS and call functionality.
Twilio charges Momence by how much information is contained within each message using something called Segments, and Momence is now aligning the way it charges hosts for messaging and incoming calls with how Twilio is already charging Momence.
What does this mean for you as a host?
It means that you'll be able to upgrade or downgrade to different tiers of use, allowing you to only pay for what you're using, much like a cell phone plan with different options for data use.
To understand how much messaging bandwidth you'll need, it helps to understand the "unit" of cost that Twilio pays attention to. This unit is called a Segment, and it's something you've probably seen before in older technology.
How do segments work?
Twilio uses an example most of us will recall from texting on older phones. Back then, you might have noticed two numbers at the top of your text message -- 160/1.
Our phones used to count down our 'characters remaining' on the left (from 160), and when the character count got to 0, the number on the right (the Segment count), would increase from 1 to 2. Momence shows this segment count whenever you are composing a text message.
Below is a message where the segment is about to flip from 1 to 2. The character count is currently at its max at 160.
After adding one more character (making it 161), the segment count increases from 1 to 2.
Cell carriers would charge per segment, just like Twilio does today. Today, there's a little more to it with emojis taking up more space than regular characters, and the timing of how quickly messages need to get out (ie. for 'one-to many' messaging) but the constraints are basically the same.
For more on how Twilio charges, here is a more in-depth article.
To check your current plan with Momence, click here.
What happens if I run out of segments on my current plan?
Momence will notify you that we're no longer able to send SMS messages from your account and that all messages will be sent as emails instead. We'll provide a link in this email where you can upgrade your SMS tier to keep sending SMS messages this month.
Where can I see my current Tier and current segment usage for the month?
Click Studio Setup > Phone number > Tiers. You'll also find options to upgrade or downgrade.
I'm seeing an error about a hold on my account. How do I remove this?
You might be seeing an error that reads something like:
It looks like you might be a predominantly message-based business, which has triggered a hold on your account. To request an exception, reach out to our support team at [email protected]
This is a security protocol in place to protect your account. Reaching out to support will allow for an exception to be made and for your account to resume its normal messaging volume.