Direct Messages
The Direct Messages page provides an interactive, two-way conversational chat interface for real-time messaging with individual contacts. Use this interface to view active conversation threads, send direct SMS messages, monitor message length and segment calculations, and track estimated carrier costs prior to dispatch.
Conversation Panel
Select any ongoing chat thread from the left list to view historical message exchanges, timestamps, and incoming contact replies.
Message Composition Controls
- Type a Message…: Text entry field for composing outgoing SMS content.
- Send Button: Dispatches the message to the selected contact.
Real-Time Message Metrics & Cost Tracking
Displayed directly below the text input area to help monitor carrier billing and character limits.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Segments | Real-time count of SMS message segments based on message length and character encoding. |
| Estimated Cost | Dynamically calculated carrier cost estimate (e.g., $0.0000) for the current message body. |
| Characters | Total character count entered in the composer. |
| Remaining | Characters remaining before exceeding the current single-segment limit (defaults to 160 standard GSM characters). |