Installing an SMS channel

It is possible to install an SMS channel via the connectors API.

Channels are created by first installing a new connector. Connectors are responsible for linking the MessageBird Engagements platform to third party platforms.

Installing an SMS connector

In order to create an SMS connector, you must have a valid phoneNumberId and perform a HTTP request to the following endpoint with a valid access key

Create a new connector from a template.

post

Authorizations

Path parameters

workspaceIdstring · uuidRequired

Body

namestringRequired

connectorTemplateRefstringOptional

channelConversationalStatusEnabledboolean | nullableOptional

invitationTokenstring | nullableOptional

Responses

201

OK

application/json

404

workspace not found

application/json

409

connector already exists

application/json

422

invalid data provided

application/json

post

HTTPcURLJavaScriptPython

POST /workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors HTTP/1.1
Host: 
Authorization: Bearer jwt
Content-Type: application/json
Accept: */*
Content-Length: 236

{
  "name": "text",
  "connectorTemplateRef": "text",
  "arguments": {
    "someArgument": "someValue"
  },
  "securityArguments": {
    "ANY_ADDITIONAL_PROPERTY": {
      "ANY_ADDITIONAL_PROPERTY": "text"
    }
  },
  "channelConversationalStatusEnabled": true,
  "invitationToken": "text"
}

{
  "id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
  "workspaceId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
  "routingKey": "text",
  "name": "text",
  "region": "text",
  "description": "text",
  "arguments": {
    "someArgument": "someValue"
  },
  "channel": {
    "channelId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "platform": "text"
  },
  "number": {
    "profileId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "numberId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "phoneNumber": "text",
    "variables": {},
    "capabilities": "mms-inbound,mms-outbound,sms-inbound,sms-outbound",
    "numberType": "mobile",
    "endpointType": "alpha-number",
    "country": "NL",
    "profileAttachments": [
      {
        "capability": "text",
        "profileId": "text",
        "variables": {
          "connectorId": "text"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "connectorTemplateSlug": "text",
  "connectorTemplateRef": "text",
  "dataFetching": {
    "schedule": "text",
    "streams": [
      {
        "eventName": "text",
        "streamName": "text",
        "eventStreamName": "text",
        "filter": "text",
        "initialState": "text",
        "endCondition": "text",
        "incremental": true,
        "duplicatesFilterCapacity": 1,
        "cursorField": "text"
      }
    ]
  },
  "dataCapture": {
    "captureEndpoint": "text"
  },
  "createdAt": "2025-06-02T10:04:21.839Z",
  "updatedAt": "2025-06-02T10:04:21.839Z"
}

Request

curl --location 'https://api.bird.com/workspaces/<your-workspace-id>/connectors' \
--header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Authorization: AccessKey <your-access-key>' \
--data '{
    "connectorTemplateRef": "sms-messagebird:1",
    "name": "My SMS channel",
    "arguments": {
        "phoneNumberId": "2cffb55c-120e-91a8-8f10-ed9d1b412d29",
        "useCaseId": "be123b02-dacf-31f9-b3e5-50b18260bc23"
    },
    "channelConversationalStatusEnabled": true
}'

Parameter description

Property	Type	Description
connectorTemplateRef	string	Set as sms-messagebird:1
name	string	The name of your connector e.g. My SMS channel
arguments.phoneNumberId	string	The ID of endpoint that will be installed
arguments.useCaseId	string	The ID of the use case. Required for endpoint type longcode + local + US
channelConversationalStatusEnabled	boolean	If true incoming messages will create new conversations in Inbox

Get your channel id

Once you have created your SMS connector, this will create an SMS channel. You can then get your channel ID as follows

Show the details of a specific connector.

get

Authorizations

Path parameters

workspaceIdstring · uuidRequired

connectorIdstring · uuidRequired

Responses

200

OK

application/json

404

connector not found

application/json

get

HTTPcURLJavaScriptPython

GET /workspaces/{workspaceId}/connectors/{connectorId} HTTP/1.1
Host: 
Authorization: Bearer jwt
Accept: */*

{
  "id": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
  "workspaceId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
  "routingKey": "text",
  "name": "text",
  "region": "text",
  "description": "text",
  "arguments": {
    "someArgument": "someValue"
  },
  "channel": {
    "channelId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "platform": "text"
  },
  "number": {
    "profileId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "numberId": "123e4567-e89b-12d3-a456-426614174000",
    "phoneNumber": "text",
    "variables": {},
    "capabilities": "mms-inbound,mms-outbound,sms-inbound,sms-outbound",
    "numberType": "mobile",
    "endpointType": "alpha-number",
    "country": "NL",
    "profileAttachments": [
      {
        "capability": "text",
        "profileId": "text",
        "variables": {
          "connectorId": "text"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "connectorTemplateSlug": "text",
  "connectorTemplateRef": "text",
  "dataFetching": {
    "schedule": "text",
    "streams": [
      {
        "eventName": "text",
        "streamName": "text",
        "eventStreamName": "text",
        "filter": "text",
        "initialState": "text",
        "endCondition": "text",
        "incremental": true,
        "duplicatesFilterCapacity": 1,
        "cursorField": "text"
      }
    ]
  },
  "dataCapture": {
    "captureEndpoint": "text"
  },
  "createdAt": "2025-06-02T10:04:21.839Z",
  "updatedAt": "2025-06-02T10:04:21.839Z"
}

Request

The following example will get the connector you have created in the previous step. Parse the channel.channelId to get the id of your new SMS channel

curl --location 'https://api.bird.com/workspaces/<your-workspace-id>/connectors/<your-connector-id>' \
--header 'Accept: application/json' \
--header 'Authorization: AccessKey <your-access-key>'

Installation scenarios

Getting a valid phoneNumberId or useCaseId can have different pre-requisites depending on the Endpoint type. See the quick starts for some common scenarios:

Country	Endpoint Type	Number type	Guide
🇺🇸 United States	Long code	Local	US 10DLC API Installation