How SMS and MMS Messaging Works in Live 360
Text messaging remains one of the most effective ways for businesses to communicate with customers quickly and reliably. Live 360 integrates SMS and MMS capabilities so companies can send reminders, notifications, updates, and campaigns directly from the platform. To use this feature efficiently, it’s important to understand how SMS and MMS work, how messages are billed, and what is required to activate the service.
- SMS vs. MMS: What’s the Difference?
SMS (Short Message Service)
SMS messages are traditional text-only messages. In Live 360:
- SMS messages are limited to 160 characters in English.
- Using special characters—such as ñ, accented letters (á, é, í, ó, ú), or symbols—reduces the character limit and may cause the message to be split into multiple segments.
- Each segment is billed as an individual SMS.
Example:
A message containing accents that splits into 2 segments will deduct 2 SMS from the balance.
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service)
MMS messages allow richer content: - You can send images, audio files, and GIFs, within size restrictions.
- There is no character limit for the text portion.
- You may use special characters, accents, and emojis without additional segmentation charges.
MMS is ideal for visual campaigns, detailed announcements, and longer messages.
- How Message Billing Works in Live 360
Live 360 uses a prepaid balance system. Both outgoing and incoming messages deduct from the available balance.
Outgoing Messages
If you send a campaign to 100 customers:
- The system deducts 100 SMS or MMS from your balance.
Incoming Messages
If 40 customers reply: - The system deducts 40 additional messages from your balance.
Important Notes - You can receive messages even with no balance, but the system will record a negative balance, which will be automatically deducted on your next recharge.
- To send and receive messages, you must have an active balance.
- Requirements to Activate SMS/MMS Messaging
Due to U.S. telecommunications regulations, all messaging traffic must be verified before activation. To complete this process, you must provide:
A Registered Business
Your company must be legally established.
An Active Website or Social Media Presence
This confirms the legitimacy of your business and its communication practices.
A Toll-Free Number Purchased Through Live 360
- This number is unique to your account.
- It has a monthly cost.
- It will be used for all SMS and MMS communication.
- Proof of Contact Acquisition
You must show how your contacts opted in to receive messages, such as:
- Website forms
- In-store sign-ups
- Verified leads
- Existing customers
- Social media or landing page opt-ins
This ensures compliance and prevents message blocking.
- Verification Timeline
The verification process is handled by our telecommunications provider and typically takes 5 to 7 business days.
During this time, your information is reviewed to ensure compliance with messaging regulations. - Recommended Support
To avoid delays or potential rejection, we recommend contacting the Live 360 support team:
+1 833-858-4454
The team can assist with:
- Reviewing your documentation
- Ensuring your contact acquisition method meets requirements
- Guiding you through the verification process
- Preventing common errors that slow down approval
Conclusion
SMS and MMS messaging in Live 360 provides a powerful way to maintain direct communication with your customers. Understanding how messages are billed, the differences between SMS and MMS, and the activation requirements will help you use this feature effectively and without interruptions.
If you need help enabling messaging for your account, the Live 360 support team is ready to assist.
If you have any questions, email us at info@360techusa.com or our support on WhatsApp at +1 (833) 858-4454.