Choose an FAQ Category

⌘K
  2. Home
  4. Docs
  6. Choose an FAQ Category
  8. >> Twilio and Twilio Usag...
  10. Twilio Basics

Twilio Basics

Click on any of the following questions to jump to the answer:

  1. Why does turboDial use Twilio?

  2. Am I required to use Twilio?

  3. What is the difference between turboDial and Twilio?

  4. Who is Twilio?

  5. Do I need to acquire a phone number(s) from Twilio to use turboDial?

  6. Do the users I set up in my turboDial account need to know anything about Twilio?

Questions & Answers

Why does turboDial use Twilio?


Twilio provides an extensive API that allows us to control their network at every step in
voice and SMS communications. At this time they have no competitor that provides the network control interfaces needed by turboDial.

Am I required to use Twilio?


Yes.  All calls made with turboDial are connected using Twilio. Even calls you make using your
desk phone, cell phone, etc – if you initiate them using turboDial they are connected to the other person using Twilio.

However, turboDial handles all interactions with Twilio on your behalf. You do not need to use Twilio for any phone call, SMS or phone number purposes.

What is the difference between turboDial and Twilio?

turboDial is a cloud-based app that integrates between Twilio and Keap.

Twilio is the VoIP-based telephony carrier that turboDial uses to connect calls. By using Twilio, turboDial can sell you phone numbers and can connect phone calls to/from the public telephone network. turboDial allows you to get your own Twilio account so you can pay Twilio’s direct pricing. (Some other Dialer solutions use Twilio inside but mark up Twilio’s price before passing it on). So you must have an account with Twilio and you pay them for your phone numbers and usage of voice call minutes.

turboDial provides an advanced click-to-dial capability you can access from inside Keap to place outbound calls, receive inbound calls, record calls and leave messages.

turboDial handles all interactions with Twilio on your behalf. You do not need to use Twilio for any phone call, SMS or phone number purposes.

Who is Twilio?

Twilio is a large Voice and SMS Messaging communications carrier with a global reach. Although they have thousands of customers, including many Fortune 500 companies, you may not have heard of them because their services are offered through the products of other companies, for example turboDial. Other click-to-dial solutions for Keap also use Twilio and markup Twilio’s prices before passing the cost on to you. With turboDial you obtain your own Twilio account and get the benefit of very low prices direct from Twilio;

turboDial does not add additional costs to your voice minutes and SMS messages.

Do I need to acquire a phone number(s) from Twilio to use turboDial?

No.

You can make calls with turboDial using one of your non-Twilio numbers as a Caller ID. Just validate the number through turboDial and it will be available as a Caller ID even though it was not acquired from Twilio.

If you want to send SMS text messages then you will need to acquire a Twilio number using turboDial. A button is available in turboDial that you can use to select and purchase a phone number. A number you’ve acquired directly in Twilio will not be available to you for sending text messages

Do the users I set up in my turboDial account need to know anything about Twilio?

Your users do not know about Twilio or your turboDial account. All they know about is the turboDial panel that launches when they click the turboDial button or click the turboDial link. All configuration info associated with your turboDial account is hidden from your users.

Also, your users do not receive email from turboDial.

However, you should direct your users to this support website as a resource they can use to learn how to use turboDial.