Overview
This brief article contains the basic facts about 8x8’s billing practices for SMS and MMS messaging with 8x8 Work (UC).
This article applies to your account only if you use (or will use) 8x8’s business SMS/MMS in 8x8 Work applications.
Note: Our 8x8 SMS and MMS Usage-Based Billing Transition article contains detailed information about this topic.
Applies To
- 8x8 Work
- SMS/MMS
- Billing
- US and Canada
What Is Happening
8x8 will begin phasing in its new billing regarding SMS/MMS usage-based messaging. This new billing will apply on your account renewal date, on or after November 1, 2024.
Example: If your account were to renew on February 1, 2025, the new SMS billing changes would take effect on your account on that date, and not beforehand.
Why This is Happening
Due to rate changes enforced by mobile carriers for SMS/MMS, we have instituted a usage-based model for customers in the US and Canada.
How It Works
- Accounts renewed on or after November 1, 2024 receive a monthly account-level allowance pool for SMS/MMS messaging.
- The SMS and MMS allowance is equal to the total number of X2 and higher licenses on your 8x8 account, multiplied by 50. The total is pooled at the account level, meaning that all assigned users have access to the entire allowance, so individual users are not limited to 50 outbound messages.
- Outbound messaging usage within this allowance will incur no usage charges.
- Outbound messaging usage in excess of this allowance will incur usage charges.
- The usage allowance is reset at the beginning of each billing cycle, so any unused message counts are not carried over from month to month.
- Inbound messages are not charged.
- For more information, please see:
Example: If you have 1000 8x8 X2 and higher licenses on your account, your combined outbound SMS messaging allowance for these licenses would be 1000 x 50, or 50,000.
Can I access my current SMS usage data?
Currently, only customers who have already been converted to the new usage-based billing can access their usage data in the 8x8 Billing Portal.
We recognize that many customers would like to see this data, even if their 8x8 billing has not yet been converted. So we’re working hard to expose this data to all customers, and plan to make it available by the end of 2024.
If you have an account renewal before then and would like access to your messaging data, please open a new case with 8x8 Support so that we can perform a one-time pull of this data for you: