// business texting
Business texts, in the same place as your calls
Reply to a customer without using your personal mobile number. On eligible SMS-ready numbers, LineHQ keeps incoming messages, replies and delivery updates in a shared text thread.
// the short answer
Two-way SMS lets an eligible LineHQ number receive and send text messages. A UK 07 number is not automatically a promise of texting: the number, carrier and account must support messaging. Platform-funded outbound messages cost 4p per segment, excluding VAT, from calling credit. Connected-carrier billing can differ.
Last reviewed September 2026
One customer conversation
Read incoming texts and send a reply from the Texts page. Messages stay together by business number and customer, so you can see the context before replying.
A business sender
Send from an eligible number on your account rather than your personal mobile. Check the number’s SMS readiness in the dashboard before putting it on an advert.
Delivery updates
See the delivery status reported by the carrier. A delivery update is not a read receipt and does not prove the customer has read the message.
Clear segment pricing
Platform-funded sending costs 4p per outbound segment, excluding VAT. Long messages and some characters use more than one segment; the composer shows the estimate before you send.
Check these before sending your first text
Calling capability and texting capability are different. The dashboard tells you whether a particular number can send.
Choose a messaging-ready number
Open Texts and select a number that can send. A landline, freephone or virtual mobile number should not be assumed to support SMS just because it can receive calls.
Check account access and credit
Outbound messaging must be enabled for your account. Platform-funded sending needs calling credit; included voice minutes do not cover text segments.
Review the message cost
Keep replies relevant to the customer’s enquiry. Review the segment estimate and destination before sending; UK destinations are supported by the current outbound service.
Frequently asked questions
Can every LineHQ number send texts?
No. Sending depends on the number’s SMS capability, supported carrier, messaging setup, account permission and available funding. The dashboard shows readiness and explains any blocker. Ask us before buying a number specifically for SMS.
How much does a text cost?
For platform-funded messaging, each outbound segment costs 4p excluding VAT. A long message or one containing some non-standard characters can use several segments. Check the composer’s segment estimate. Texts sent through an eligible connected carrier account may instead be billed by that carrier.
Do my included calling minutes cover texts?
No. Voice allowances and SMS are separate. Platform-funded outbound SMS uses calling credit per segment.
Can I use an existing number?
Ask us to check it first. Keeping a number as a verified outbound caller ID does not move its texts to LineHQ. A number must be connected and messaging-ready to send or receive texts here.
Is a delivered message guaranteed to have been read?
No. Delivery status comes from the carrier, not from the customer opening the message. It is not a read receipt. A later delivery failure is not automatically refunded, so check the destination before sending.
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