Twilio is the carrier, not the brain
Numbers, SMS, calls and SIP lines as a service. In LeadEnergIA it provides the line the contract-link SMS goes out on, the line a call is forwarded to the rep on, and the line the voice agent talks on. It can be swapped for another carrier without touching anything else.
What is Twilio?
Twilio is a programmable communications platform: it gives businesses phone numbers, SMS, calls and SIP trunks through an API instead of a phone system. Founded in 2008, it is the carrier behind a large share of the verification and notification SMS you receive every day.
For us it is infrastructure, not product. The CRM or the voice agent carries the conversation; Twilio transports it.
What it does in LeadEnergIA
- The SMS with the contract link. When the customer accepts the proposal, they get an SMS with the link to the portal where they sign and upload documents. It is a transactional message: they asked for it by accepting.
- Forwarding to the rep. Each channel has a number; a call to it is forwarded to the rep assigned to the opportunity, or to whoever is on duty.
- The voice agent’s line. The voice agent calls and answers on a Twilio number of the channel, imported in one step. The voice agent provides the conversation; Twilio, the line.
Why “the carrier, not the brain”
The voice agent connects to telephony in two ways: by importing a Twilio number with the channel’s own account, or over a SIP trunk with any carrier —Twilio, Telnyx, Vonage or another. We start with the first because it is the fastest to set up. But the logic doesn’t depend on Twilio: if a channel already has a SIP line, we connect theirs; if another carrier suits better tomorrow, the line changes and the agent stays the same.
That separation is deliberate. Telephony per-minute cost is billed separately, at the carrier’s rate, and the channel can negotiate it on its own.
What is not done by SMS
- Campaigns. SMS is for what the customer asked for: the link, the reminder of a missing document. Follow-up sequences go by email, with an unsubscribe in every send.
- Data. No ID, no IBAN, no passwords over SMS. The SMS carries the link; the data enters through the portal.
- Cold calls. The voice agent’s number only calls people who asked. Spanish RD 88/2026 forbids it and the system makes it impossible.
What you need
- A Twilio account in your company’s name. The account, the number and the bill are yours.
- A Spanish number. Twilio requires regulatory documentation to assign one (company identity and address); it is done once.
- Or, if you already have a phone system, your own SIP trunk: we connect it instead of the Twilio number.
- Credentials are stored encrypted and used only by the system; nobody on your team or ours sees them after setup.
FAQ
Do I have to use Twilio?
No. It is the fastest way to start, but the voice agent and forwarding work the same with your own SIP trunk or another carrier. Twilio is what we recommend for each channel’s pilot.
Who pays for SMS and minutes?
Your Twilio account, at the rate Twilio applies to you. The platform doesn’t resell telephony: it orchestrates it. That is why the account is yours.
Can I use my usual number?
For forwarding, yes: calls to your number are routed to the assigned rep. For the voice agent a dedicated number is better, so the customer knows it is your brand’s agent speaking.