SMS Notifications
Configure SMS alerts and guest messaging for your team.
Overview
CaptiFi supports SMS notifications:
- Staff Alerts — Get notified of important events via text message
- Guest Messages — Send marketing SMS to opted-in guests (where enabled)
Setting Up SMS
Step 1: Get Your SMS API Credentials
- CaptiFi uses an SMS provider for notifications
- Your SMS credentials will be provided during setup
- Contact support if you need help with SMS setup
Step 2: Configure in CaptiFi
- Log in to app.captifi.io
- Go to Settings → Notifications
- Under SMS Notifications:
- Toggle Enable SMS Notifications
- Enter your SMS Username
- Enter your SMS API Key
- Enter your Phone Number (where alerts are sent)
- Click Save
Step 3: Choose Alert Types
Select which events trigger SMS alerts:
| Alert Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Server Alerts | Captive portal server goes offline/online |
| Access Point Alerts | AP goes offline or comes back online |
| URL Monitoring | Website or portal URL becomes unreachable |
SMS for Guests
Compliance Note
Sending marketing SMS to guests requires explicit SMS consent (separate from email consent). Ensure your splash page includes an SMS-specific opt-in checkbox and complies with PECR/GDPR.
When enabled:
- Guests can opt in to SMS on the splash page (if phone number field is active)
- SMS can be included in workflow automation sequences
- Review requests can be sent via SMS instead of email
Costs
SMS messages are billed through your SMS provider account:
- UK: ~2-3p per message
- US: ~1-2¢ per message
- No CaptiFi markup — you pay SMS provider directly
Troubleshooting
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| SMS not being received | Verify phone number format (include country code) |
| Authentication error | Check SMS provider username and API key |
| Alerts not triggering | Ensure alert types are toggled on |
| High costs | Review message frequency, disable non-essential alerts |