Channels¶
A channel is where your agent talks to people — RCS, WhatsApp, Apple Messages, SMS, your website's webchat, and more. Each agent has its own Channels page in the console listing the channels it's connected to and the ones available to add. This guide explains how to connect a channel and what to expect while it's being set up.
The model in one line. Pick a channel, choose whether Anychat runs the account or you bring your own, submit the details, and watch the binding's status move to Active — from then on the agent answers there automatically.
Managed or bring-your-own¶
When you click Add channel, most channels offer two ways to connect:
- Let Anychat set this up for you (recommended) — you supply business details (name, website, contact); Anychat registers the channel account, handles carrier or platform verification, and operates it for you. This is the right choice unless you already run your own messaging infrastructure.
- Use your own account — you already operate an account with a provider (your own Google RBM agent, Meta WhatsApp Business Account, Twilio account, …) and supply its credentials. These bindings activate immediately; you remain responsible for the provider account.
Connecting a channel¶
- Open the agent in the console and go to Channels.
- In the Available section, find the channel and click Connect.
- Choose the setup mode (managed or your own account), then fill in the form. Fields marked From agent are pre-filled from your agent's identity; fields marked Locked after submit can't be changed later without contacting support, so double-check them.
- Continue to review, check the summary, and Submit.
- The result page tells you what happens next — either the channel is already Active, or provisioning has started and the page says how long it typically takes.
Provisioning status¶
Every channel binding shows a status pill, and its detail page keeps a full history of changes:
| Status | What it means | Who acts next |
|---|---|---|
| Requested | Your managed setup request was received. | Anychat |
| Provisioning | Registration and verification are in flight with the carrier or platform. | Anychat / the platform |
| Action required | Something needs you — the note on the binding says exactly what (e.g. verifying your domain). | You |
| Active | Live. The agent answers on this channel. | — |
| Failed | Setup hit a terminal problem; the note explains. | You or Anychat support |
| Disabled | Turned off (by you or by Anychat). Re-enable from the detail page. | You |
Managed setups involve real-world verification and take time: RCS typically 3–7 business days, WhatsApp 1–2 weeks, SMS (10DLC registration) 1–3 weeks, and Apple Messages several weeks. Bring-your-own-account bindings and Instagram (a direct authorization flow) are active immediately, as is Webchat.
The channels¶
- RCS — rich messaging on Android. Managed setup is registered through Google; you can also bring your own Google RBM agent or Webex Connect account.
- Apple Messages for Business — requires Apple business registration (managed), or bring a Webex Connect account.
- WhatsApp — managed (Anychat operates the WhatsApp Business Account and number) or bring your own Meta Cloud API credentials. Agents answer inbound WhatsApp conversations today; operator-initiated outreach on WhatsApp requires Meta-approved message templates, which are coming soon — use RCS for outreach in the meantime.
- SMS — managed via a number on Anychat's infrastructure (10DLC registered), or bring your own Twilio account.
- Webchat — created automatically with every agent; nothing to set up. Its detail page shows the agent ID you need for the website embed.
- Instagram — connect your Instagram business account with a direct authorization; see the Instagram guide.
- Slack, Viber, Poe — bring-your-own-account only: supply credentials from the app or bot you operate on that platform.
Testing RCS before launch¶
For Google-served RCS bindings, the binding's detail page gains an RCS test devices section once the channel is Active. Enter a phone number and click Invite tester — the person receives an invitation on their phone, and once they accept, they can message your agent before any public launch. The table shows each tester's status (pending, accepted, or declined).
Managing a binding¶
Click any connected channel to open its detail page:
- Disable / Enable — temporarily take the agent off a channel without losing the setup.
- Remove — drop the binding entirely (not available for Webchat, which is part of the agent).
- Message pacing (Delivery section) — a minimum delay (0.25–3 seconds) between consecutive messages to a user on this channel. Turn it on so multi-message replies arrive one after another instead of all at once, or to keep messages in order on providers that don't guarantee delivery ordering. Off by default.
- Carrier compliance (RCS and SMS bindings) — when enabled, Anychat sends a one-time disclaimer at the start of each messaging relationship (customizable; a standard operator text is the default) and answers STOP, HELP and START with compliant replies. Opted-out users stop receiving messages until they reply START; HELP is always answered with your brand contact info. Off by default — leave it off if your messaging provider already handles opt-out keywords (many do), or your users will get two confirmations.
- Rotate credentials (your-own-account bindings) — submit replacement credentials when you rotate them at the provider. Secrets are write-only: the console never displays them back.
- History — every status change, when it happened, and who made it.