## Overview

The **messaging channels** connect three message services directly to the platform: **Telegram**,
**SMS** and **Line**. Messages from each one arrive as conversations in the same panel, with
per-contact history, assignment, teams, internal notes and automations — exactly like WhatsApp,
email and the website.

Each channel uses the **provider's own credentials**:

- **Telegram**: a bot created in BotFather, identified by the **bot token**.
- **SMS**: an account with an SMS provider (**Twilio** or **Bandwidth**) plus a phone number.
- **Line**: a LINE Messaging API channel (**Channel ID**, **secret** and **token**), with a webhook
  pointing to the platform.

## Prerequisites

- An **administrator** profile to create inboxes.
- The **valid credentials** for the chosen provider (see each channel in the step by step).
- For **Telegram**: a bot already created in **BotFather** and its **token**.
- For **SMS**: a **Twilio** or **Bandwidth** account with Account SID / Auth Token and a number
  (or a Messaging Service).
- For **Line**: a channel in **LINE Developers** with **Channel ID**, **Channel Secret** and
  **Channel Access Token**.
- If a channel does not appear when creating an inbox, it may not be enabled for your account —
  check with an administrator.

## Step by step

### Telegram

1. In Telegram's **BotFather**, create a bot and copy the generated **token**.
2. Go to **Settings → Inboxes**, create a new inbox and choose **Telegram**.
3. Paste the **bot token** and finish. The platform validates the token, detects the **bot name**
   automatically and sets up the webhook by itself.
4. Send a message to the bot and confirm it arrives as a conversation.

### SMS (Twilio or Bandwidth)

1. Go to **Settings → Inboxes**, create a new inbox and choose **SMS**.
2. Select the **provider**: **Twilio** or **Bandwidth**.
3. For **Twilio**, enter: **inbox name**, **Account SID**, **Auth Token** and the **phone number**
   in E.164 format (e.g. `+15551234567`) — or check the **Messaging Service** option and enter the
   **Messaging Service SID**.
   - Optional: also add an **API Key SID** + **API Key Secret** for outbound/provider management.
     The **Account Auth Token** remains required because it validates inbound webhook signatures.
4. For **Bandwidth**, enter the credentials and the number as provided.
5. Finish and send a **test SMS**.

### Line

1. In **LINE Developers**, create a Messaging API channel and get the **Channel ID**, **Channel
   Secret** and **Channel Access Token**.
2. Go to **Settings → Inboxes**, create a new inbox and choose **Line**.
3. Enter the **inbox name**, **Channel ID**, **Channel Secret** and **Channel Access Token**, then
   finish.
4. In the LINE Developers console, set the channel's **webhook URL** to point to the platform's
   endpoint (shown in the inbox configuration or provided by your administrator) and enable message
   receiving.
5. Send a message to the LINE profile and confirm it reaches the platform.

## Settings & options

- **Assignment and teams**: define who handles each channel's conversations, just like the others.
- **Automation and replies**: automations, canned responses and greetings work as usual.
- **Editing credentials**: you can update the channel's token/credentials in the inbox settings.
- **SMS provider**: Twilio accepts a direct number **or** a Messaging Service; the provider is chosen
  at creation time.

### Twilio credentials, callbacks and voice

- The **Account SID + Account Auth Token** identify the Twilio account and the Auth Token validates
  inbound webhook signatures. An **API Key SID + API Key Secret** is optional and is used only for
  outbound/provider management. They are different credentials: never paste an API Key Secret into
  the Auth Token field.
- Reconnect or rotate credentials only in the dedicated Twilio recovery card. Values are write-only:
  the platform never displays them again. A rotation creates a new protected generation; an older
  callback result cannot replace the newer configuration.
- A status of **pending** or **failed** means the saved generation is retrying with bounded backoff
  after a timeout, an unavailable provider, or an uncertain callback result. **Dead letter** means
  retries stopped and an administrator must reconnect/rotate it; it is visible rather than silently
  treated as ready. A successful save does not claim the callback was applied until state is **ready**.
- Voice-enabled Twilio SMS inboxes require a voice-capable direct phone number. Their credential
  operation validates and reconciles both SMS and Voice callback URLs. A Messaging Service-only SMS
  inbox is not a voice inbox.

## Use cases

- Handle **Telegram** and **SMS** side by side with WhatsApp, email and the website, in the same
  queue.
- Use **SMS** for notifications and confirmations when the customer has no messaging app.
- Use **Line** to serve Asian audiences (strong in Japan, Thailand and Taiwan) without leaving the
  platform.

## Tips, limits & best practices

- Keep **credentials valid**: a revoked or expired token stops messages from coming in.
- **SMS has a per-message cost** charged by the provider (Twilio/Bandwidth) — track usage in the
  provider's account.
- For **Line**, the webhook must point to the platform and be active; otherwise messages won't
  arrive.
- Use **one bot per inbox** in Telegram; the same token cannot be reused across two inboxes.

## Troubleshooting

- **Telegram receives no messages**: confirm the token is valid (not revoked in BotFather) and
  re-enter it if needed.
- **SMS does not send or receive**: review the Account SID, Auth Token and number/Messaging Service;
  confirm balance and an enabled number with the provider.
- **Twilio reports pending, failed or dead letter**: do not resend a secret by email or chat. Confirm
  the public callback URL is reachable through your proxy, uses HTTPS, and is not rewriting the
  Twilio signature path; then reconnect or rotate in the card. Verify that the Account Auth Token
  (inbound signature) and API Key Secret (outbound) have not been swapped.
- **Line does not receive**: check the Channel ID, Secret and Token and the **webhook URL** in the
  LINE console, which must point to the platform and be enabled.
- **The channel does not appear when creating an inbox**: it may not be enabled for your account —
  talk to an administrator.

## See also

- [Overview of inboxes and channels](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-overview-en)
- [Social channels: Facebook Messenger, Instagram and TikTok](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-canais-sociais-en)
- [Inbox settings](/hc/ajuda/articles/inboxes-channels-configuracoes-de-inbox-en)