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Twilio (bring your own number)

The Twilio connection lets a business bring phone numbers from its existing provider account into ThunderPhone. It is a bring-your-own-number and trunk workflow: the number stays associated with the provider account, while ThunderPhone verifies that calls can route through the connection and then assigns the imported number to phone agents.

This is the production-number path, not a claim that ThunderPhone replaces the provider or exposes every product in its account. The documented scope is connecting credentials, importing visible numbers, verifying inbound and outbound routing, and using verified numbers for ThunderPhone calls.

What the Twilio connection does

Twilio is supported as a direct VoIP connection. In the dashboard, an existing account can be connected with an API key and secret. The same connect-import-verify flow is also available through the REST API.

After the connection is established, ThunderPhone can list numbers available to the organization and import selected numbers. An imported number begins in a provisioning state. A round-trip verification then checks inbound reachability and outbound authorization. Only after a successful check does the number become active for assignment.

Verified imported numbers support inbound and outbound calling. That makes them suitable for production flows that need a business-owned caller ID and an eligible outbound calling path. Demo numbers, by contrast, are intended for inbound testing rather than production.

Typical call flows

Inbound business line

Import a number customers already call and assign an inbound agent. The agent can answer routine questions, collect an intake, or route an urgent case according to its prompt. A virtual front-desk receptionist is a common example: the caller keeps using the familiar business number while ThunderPhone handles the configured conversation.

Outbound reminders

Assign an outbound agent to a verified number and use it for an appointment reminder call. The provider connection supplies the telephony route; the ThunderPhone agent controls the conversation, voicemail behavior, and any attached business tools. Outbound calling should follow the organization's consent, caller-identification, and calling-hours rules.

Missed-call follow-up

A business can use its imported number for a missed-call recovery workflow. The agent returns the call, identifies the purpose, and either completes the configured intake or records a clear follow-up for a human.

Setup outline

  1. Open Connections → VoIP, create a new connection, and choose Twilio for an existing provider account.
  2. Enter the API key and secret, then test the credentials and connection.
  3. Import the phone numbers the credentials make available to the ThunderPhone organization.
  4. Verify each imported number. Resolve any failed inbound reachability, trunk assignment, source allowlist, or outbound authorization check before continuing.
  5. Assign the verified number to the appropriate inbound and outbound agents.
  6. Place controlled calls in both directions and confirm caller ID, conversation behavior, voicemail handling, and any transfer path used by the workflow.

Connecting an account is not the same as porting a number, and importing alone does not prove the route is ready. Keep provider credentials current, re-test after rotating them, and treat verification as a required production-readiness check. Telephony charges and other optional configuration charges depend on the setup.

Related workflows and terms