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FreePBX and Asterisk voicemail to SMS for the on-call phone

FreePBX voicemail to SMS lets the on-call tech hear a late-night message from the text itself, without a softphone, a VPN or dialing *98. FreePBX and plain Asterisk already email each new voicemail with the recording attached. Set that mailbox email to your Welco address, and the SMS shows the caller, the length and a link to play it.

Text me my FreePBX voicemailsBook a demo

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  • No SMS trunk or AGI script
  • One email field per mailbox
  • No dialplan changes or reloads for routing

Works by email with

  • Asterisk / FreePBX

Published:

A call from (555) 019-2274 rings Mailbox 410; Asterisk records a 0:58 voicemail and emails it with msg0001.wav attached. The email reaches Welco and the phone shows: “Welco: Voicemail in box 410 from (555) 019-2274, 0:58. Listen: welco.ai/v/F2nq6W Reply STOP to opt out.”

Animation: a long Asterisk alert email is trimmed into one short text: "Welco: Voicemail in box 410 from (555) 019-2274, 0:58. Listen: welco.ai/v/F2nq6W Reply STOP to opt out."

What the PBX admin gets out of it

  • Nothing new on the box

    No SMS trunk, no AGI script and no module to patch. The PBX keeps doing what it already does: send mail.

  • The recording, not just a notice

    The WAV file becomes a private link, so the tech hears the caller before deciding to drive in.

  • Hours change without a reload

    Night and weekend windows live in Welco. Change them there and leave the dialplan alone.

What you need on the PBX

This page is for people who run their own phone server. Think MSPs, internet providers, plant IT teams and offices with a FreePBX box in the closet.

Most of what you need is already in place if your users get voicemail by email today. That email is all voicemail to text for on-call needs.

  • A PBX that can send mail out. FreePBX and most Asterisk servers hand mail to Postfix or sendmail on the same box.
  • The mailbox number of the line that should reach the on-call phone, for example 410.
  • A Welco account with your business verified. Start free to get your Welco address.
  • Email invites for the people on call. Each joins with their own mobile and replies YES before Welco texts them.

Set up FreePBX or Asterisk voicemail texts in 5 steps

Steps 3 and 4 show FreePBX menus first, then the matching line for plain Asterisk.

  1. Make sure the PBX can send mail

    From the server shell, send yourself a test with the mail command. If it never arrives, set a relay host in Postfix first. Voicemail email uses the same path.

  2. Approve the PBX sender in Welco

    Find the From address the PBX uses. In FreePBX it's under Voicemail Admin and Settings. In Asterisk it's serveremail in voicemail.conf. Add it to your Welco approved sender addresses.

  3. Point the mailbox at your Welco address

    In FreePBX, open Applications, then Extensions, and edit the extension. On the Voicemail tab, enter your Welco address under Email Address. Set Email Attachment to Yes and Delete Voicemail to No.

    • Plain Asterisk: edit the mailbox line in voicemail.conf, for example 410 => 4321,On-call Line,yourcompany@welco.ai,,attach=yes|delete=no.

  4. Shorten the email at the source (optional)

    Asterisk lets you write the subject and body yourself. A short subject such as VM ${VM_MAILBOX} from ${VM_CALLERID} ${VM_DUR} keeps the text tight. In FreePBX this lives in the Voicemail Admin email settings.

  5. Reload and leave a test message

    Apply the config in FreePBX, or run voicemail reload from the Asterisk console. Call the extension and leave a short message. The text should show the mailbox, caller and a listen link.

Your PBX already emails voicemail. Let it text too

One email field on one extension, and the on-call phone hears the next message.

7-day free trial, 15 message creditsCard required for verificationNo charge for 7 daysEmail reminder before billing

Text me my FreePBX voicemailsBook a demo

A FreePBX voicemail email turned into one text

Many FreePBX systems use a shorter email than stock Asterisk. Welco still cuts it to the mailbox, the caller and the length.

Alert email from freepbx@pbx.example.net, subject “New voicemail in mailbox 520”. Welco trims it to one text of 115 characters: “Welco: Mailbox 520 voicemail from Plant Gate (555) 019-6630, 0:44. Listen: welco.ai/v/P9gt5H Reply STOP to opt out.”

Text received: Welco: Mailbox 520 voicemail from Plant Gate (555) 019-6630, 0:44. Listen: welco.ai/v/P9gt5H Reply STOP to opt out.

Characters2361151 credit

Animation: the alert email "New voicemail in mailbox 520" is trimmed into one text: "Welco: Mailbox 520 voicemail from Plant Gate (555) 019-6630, 0:44. Listen: welco.ai/v/P9gt5H Reply STOP to opt out."

Keeping texts to one message saves credits. The guide on writing alerts that fit one text shows how.

Tips for PBX admins

  • Use Email Address, not Pager Email

    Asterisk's pager email sends a short notice with no recording, so its text has no link. The normal email field with the attachment on gives the on-call person the audio.

  • Leave delete set to No

    With delete on, Asterisk removes the message after emailing it. The Welco link lasts 7 days by default, up to 30, so keep the PBX copy as your record.

  • Route by time in Welco, not the dialplan

    Time conditions in the dialplan work, but each change needs a reload. Set on-call hours routing in Welco instead and edit it any time.

  • One address, many mailboxes

    Point several mailboxes at the same Welco address. A rule per mailbox number, such as 410 or 520, decides which phones each one texts.

Troubleshooting FreePBX voicemail texts

Nothing in the Welco feed

Where to look
The mail log on the PBX. A message stuck in the queue means the relay host is refusing it.

The feed shows a refused sender

Where to look
The PBX may use a different From address than you expected. Approve the one shown.

The text has no link

Where to look
attach is off for that mailbox, or a global setting overrides it.

One phone gets nothing

Where to look
Its owner may not have replied YES, or it's a landline.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an SMS trunk or AGI script to text FreePBX voicemails?

No. FreePBX already emails voicemails. You put your Welco address in the extension's voicemail email field, and Welco turns each email into a text. Nothing changes in your trunks or dialplan.

What is the difference between Email Address and Pager Email in FreePBX?

Email Address sends the full voicemail email, with the recording if attachments are on. Pager Email sends a short notice with no audio. For a text with a listen link, use Email Address.

Can one Asterisk mailbox text several people?

Yes, and you don't need to edit voicemail.conf for it. Keep one Welco address on the mailbox and invite each person to join Welco. Each person gets the text once, with their own link.

Will this work on Sangoma phone systems?

Sangoma systems built on Asterisk and FreePBX email voicemails the same way. Find the voicemail email setting for the extension, enter your Welco address and keep the attachment on.

How does Welco bill for PBX voicemail texts?

Per text, in message credits, and never per extension or per user. A trimmed voicemail text with a link fits in one credit for each phone. Prove it on your own PBX with the 7-day trial and 15 credits. See plans for every team size; none bill overage.

Can the on-call tech reply to a FreePBX voicemail text?

A reply is emailed to the PBX sending address and uses message credits, so it only helps if someone reads that mailbox. Most techs simply call back the number in the text. Welco does not mark the message as heard on the PBX.

Does Welco connect to my PBX or open a port?

No. Nothing connects into the PBX. It sends mail out through its usual relay, and Welco only acts on mail from the sender address you approved.

What if a mail queue flush sends a pile of old voicemails at once?

Each voicemail email becomes its own text, and a retried copy of the same email reaches each phone once. An hourly cap of 60 emails by default protects phones from a runaway burst. See alarm flood control for how the cap works.

Have your PBX text the next voicemail that can't wait

Change one email field in FreePBX and leave a test message.

Text me my FreePBX voicemailsBook a demo

7-day free trial, 15 message creditsCard required for verificationNo charge for 7 daysEmail reminder before billing