---
id: twilio-voice
sidebar_label: Twilio Voice
title: Twilio Voice
description: Deploy a Rasa IVR assistant via the Twilio Voice connector
---
import twilioWebhook from './img/twilio-set-webhook.png';
import twilioSipWebhook from './img/twilio-set-sip-webhook.png';

You can use the Twilio Voice connector to answer phone calls made to your Twilio phone number or Twilio SIP domain.

## Running on Twilio

### Connect to a Twilio Phone Number

To forward calls from Twilio to your Rasa assistant the webhook for your phone number needs to be updated. Go to the [Phone
Numbers](https://www.twilio.com/console/phone-numbers/incoming) section of your Twilio account and select the phone
number you want to connect to Rasa. Find the `Voice & Fax` section on the screen. Under the `A CALL COMES IN` section
add the webhook URL (e.g. `https://<host>:<port>/webhooks/twilio_voice/webhook`) for your Rasa bot replacing the host
and port with the appropriate values for your deployment. Click `Save` at the bottom of the page.

<Image img={twilioWebhook} caption="Set Twilio Webhook" alt="Screenshot of Twilio Console to Set Webhook" max-width="500px"/>

### Connect to a Twilio SIP Domain

You can also connect your Twilio Voice channel to a Twilio SIP domain. You can follow the
[Twilio Sending SIP](https://www.twilio.com/docs/voice/api/sending-sip) guide to forward SIP requests to your Twilio SIP
domain. Once your SIP domain is configured you will have to forward incoming calls to Rasa. In the Twilio console go to
the [SIP Domains](https://console.twilio.com/develop/voice/manage/sip-domains?frameUrl=/console/voice/sip/endpoints)
section. Select the SIP domain you would like to use. Find the `Call Control Configuration` section and add the
webhook URL (e.g. `https://<host>:<port>/webhooks/twilio_voice/webhook`) for your Rasa bot replacing the host and port
with the appropriate values for your deployment. Click `Save` at the bottom of the page.

<Image img={twilioSipWebhook} caption="Set Twilio SIP Domain Webhook" alt="Screenshot of Twilio Console to Set Webhook" max-width="500px"/>

## Configure Channel in Rasa

In your `credentials.yml` file make sure the `twilio_voice` channel is added. Within `credentials.yml` there are a
number of parameters you can set to control the behavior of your assistant. An example with definitions of each
parameter is below. Unlike the Twilio text channel there is no need to add your Twilio
credentials for the voice channel. Note, changing values for `enhanced` and `assistant_voice` can result in added costs
from Twilio. Review the documentation below for details about these settings.

```yaml title="credentials.yml"
twilio_voice:
  initial_prompt: "hello"
  assistant_voice: "woman"
  reprompt_fallback_phrase: "I didn't get that could you repeat?"
  speech_timeout: "5"
  speech_model: "default"
  enhanced: "false"
```

## Parameter Definitions

### Initial Prompt

When Twilio receives a new call and forwards this to Rasa, Twilio does not provide a user message. In this
 case Rasa will act as if the user sent the message "Hello". This behavior can be configured in your
 `credentials.yml` file by setting the `initial_prompt` parameter to the desired input. The `initial_prompt` value will
 be sent to Rasa and the response will be spoken to the user to start the voice conversation. How you greet
 a user via a voice channel may differ from a text channel. You should review your responses and consider creating
 [channel-specific variations](../responses.mdx#channel-specific-response-variations) where
 necessary.

### Assistant Voice

You can add personality to your assistant by specifying the type of voice your assistant should speak with. In the
`credentials.yml` file you can add an option for `assistant_voice` to specify the type of voice of your assistant. For a
list of supported voices you can check the [Twilio documentation](https://www.twilio.com/docs/voice/twiml/say#voice). By
default Twilio's `woman` voice will be used. Note that you will incur additional charges for using any of the `Polly`
voices. The Twilio documentation has details about
[Polly pricing](https://www.twilio.com/docs/voice/twiml/say/text-speech#pricing).

### Reprompt Fallback Phrase

Unlike text channels where users can review previous messages in the conversation and take their time to
reply, with voice channels users can get confused when there is a pause in the conversation. When a long pause is
detected during a conversation Rasa will repeat the last utterance from the bot to re-prompt the user for a response. If
the previous bot utterance cannot be identified then the message defined in `reprompt_fallback_phrase` will be sent. By
default this is set to "I'm sorry I didn't get that could you rephrase".

### Speech Timeout

How long Twilio will collect speech from the caller. This parameter must be set to a number or "auto". If a number is
provided the assistant will collect speech for the specified amount of time. If `speech_timeout` is set to "auto" then
Twilio will collect speech until a pause is detected. The default setting of this parameter is "auto". You can find more
details about `speech_timeout` in the
[Twilio documentation](https://www.twilio.com/docs/voice/twiml/gather#speechtimeout). Note that `speech_timeout="auto"`
is only compatible with `speech_model='numbers_and_commands'`. An error will be raised if an incompatible
`speech_model` is used with the `speech_timeout`.

### Speech Model

Adjusting the `speech_model` parameter can help Twilio with the accuracy of its speech-to-text transformation. Valid
values are `default`, `numbers_and_commands`, and `phone_call`. The default setting is "default". You can find more
details about `speech_model` in the
[Twilio documentation](https://www.twilio.com/docs/voice/twiml/gather#speechmodel).

### Enhanced

Setting `enhanced` to `true` will allow you to use Twilio's premium speech model to improve the accuracy of
transcription results. Note, setting this parameter to `true` will result in higher Twilio transcription costs. This
parameter is only supported if you also have set the `speech_model` parameter to `phone_call`. By default `enhanced` is
set to "false". You can find more about the `enhanced` speech model option in the
[Twilio documentation](https://www.twilio.com/docs/voice/twiml/gather#enhanced).

## Custom Voice Responses

It is highly recommended that you provide voice
[channel specific responses](../responses.mdx#channel-specific-response-variations) for all
responses containing images, emojis and/or abbreviations. Visual media like images and emojis do not translate well to
voice applications. Having voice alternatives to those responses lets you tailor the user experience to the voice
channel. If a response is detected as containing either an image or emoji a warning will be raised. The image or emoji
will be removed from the response and only any accompanying text will be included in the response back to the user.

In addition to reviewing responses containing images and emojis you should also review all other responses for their
applicability to voice channels. Short-hand abbreviations like "e.g." do not translate well. Voice responses should use
the long-hand versions of any abbreviations. Interactions with users can differ between text and voice channels.
Reviewing all responses in the scope of a voice channel and providing voice specific responses can make for a better
user experience.
