SMS Terms of Service

Last Updated: August 25, 2023

These SMS Terms of Service (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the software and services provided by ipSBS Managed Services, LLC (“HostMy,” ,”HM”,“we,” “us,” or “our”) as described in the agreement entered into by “your” company or organization (“Licensee”) and HostMy, including any online services subscribed by you through HostMy website at https://sms.hostmy.com. (“Agreement”). “You” or “your” means the customer identified on the Agreement.

1. Scope; Definitions. Subject to your compliance with these Terms, HostMy will provide to you the software applications and related services described in the Agreement (together, “Services”). “Services” includes the Software, the Documentation, the Support Services, and the Professional Services (each as defined below). “Software” means the software applications described in the Agreement, any upgrades, updates, and other changes and modifications to those software applications, and includes, for the avoidance of doubt, any related mobile applications, administrative websites, website widgets, and application protocol interfaces (“APIs”) made available by HostMy. HostMy reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to enhance, improve, update, and otherwise modify the Software at any time. “Documentation” means any documentation related to the Software that HostMy may make available to you.

2. License Grant. HostMy hereby grants to you a nonexclusive, revocable (as permitted by these Terms), non transferable, non assignable, non sublicensable, limited license to, for the duration of the term of the Agreement, (a) access and use the Software solely for your internal business purposes, (b) use any APIs solely for your internal business purposes, and (c) use and make a reasonable number of copies of the Documentation for your authorized employees and contractors solely for your internal business purposes.

3. Software Access. You will limit access to the Software and Documentation to your employees and contractors who both need to access the Software for purposes of their work for you and are bound by use restrictions and confidentiality obligations no less restrictive than those contained in these Terms. You will ensure that each such employee and contractor agrees to any end user terms contained in or on our mobile applications prior to using those mobile applications. If any provision of those end user terms conflicts or is inconsistent with any provision of these Terms, these Terms will control. You are responsible for all access to and use of the Software and Documentation by your employees, contractors, and all other persons whom you permit to use the Software. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any usernames, passwords, and other log-in credentials used to access or use the Software, including those assigned by HostMy. You will promptly notify HostMy of any unauthorized access to or use of the Software or Documentation of which you become aware.

4. Software Use Restrictions. You will not, and you will direct your employees and contractors not to: (a) copy, reproduce, sell, license, rent, reconfigure, reverse-engineer, disassemble, decompile, translate, adapt, discover the source code of, prepare any derivative works of, update, combine with other computer code, or otherwise modify the Software, the Documentation, or any part thereof; (b) obscure, remove, or alter any proprietary markings, designations, or notices in or on the Software or the Documentation; (c) develop, assist in developing, or have developed on your own or any other person’s behalf software or services that compete with or are substantially similar to the Services; (d) use the Software or Documentation for unlawful purposes; (e) send any unsolicited messages, chain letters, spam, or junk mail using the Software; (f) impersonate or attempt to impersonate another person or business while using the Software; (g) provide inaccurate information via the Software (including misrepresenting your products or services to text message recipients); (h) commit fraud or falsify information in connection with your use of the Software; or (i) use the Software to transmit any material that contains any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, time bombs, cancelbots, malware, adware, or other harmful computer code or programming routines.

5. Responsibility for Text Messages and Other User-Generated Content.

A. You acknowledge and agree that HostMy is not responsible for any text messages (including their contents) sent or received using the Software, including any messages received by unintended recipients (“Text Messages”), or for any other data, information, text, images, video, audio, messages, or other materials that are provided, transmitted, uploaded, distributed, or made available in the course of your use of the Services (together, including Text Messages, “User-Generated Content”). You are responsible for all User-Generated Content and for the legality, originality, and appropriateness thereof. You acknowledge that User-Generated Content is neither generated nor controlled by HostMy. User-Generated Content is not monitored. HostMy reserves the right, but does not have the obligation, to review, prescreen, modify, and delete User-Generated Content at any time at its sole discretion. HostMy has no obligation to archive or otherwise store any User-Generated Content. You grant HostMy a perpetual, irrevocable, transferable, assignable, sublicensable, royalty-free, fully paid-up, worldwide license to copy, modify, adapt, reformat, translate, prepare derivative works of, store, publish, perform, display, and otherwise use and distribute any User-Generated Content provided by you or on your behalf for purposes of providing the Services.

B. You acknowledge and agree that Text Messages are subject to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder (together, the “TCPA”), as well as other federal statutes and regulations and state laws and regulations, and that Text Messages sent from or received by telephones in countries outside the United States may be subject to foreign laws. By sending Text Messages you warrant that you have all rights, permissions, and consents necessary to send those Text Messages, including any required by the TCPA, and to provide to us all other User-Generated Content. You agree not to claim that any use of that User-Generated Content by us or any third party infringes or violates your or any other person’s intellectual property rights, rights of privacy, rights of publicity, or other right.

C. You will inform your employees and contractors who are authorized to use the Software that Text Messages can be monitored by your administrative users. You acknowledge and agree that Text Messages are transmitted in an unencrypted format and that therefore HostMy cannot guarantee that Text Messages or any other communications sent or received using the Software will be completely secure. You will not, and you will direct your employees and contractors not to, send or attempt to send any Text Message that is defamatory, indecent, pornographic, obscene, or otherwise objectionable. Solely you are responsible for any liability or obligations resulting from the input or submission of personally identifiable information in the course of using the Software. You acknowledge and agree that HostMy may, pursuant to a subpoena, summons, search warrant, governmental order, or other lawful process, make Text Messages available to third parties.

6. Inherent Limitations on Text Messaging. You acknowledge and agree that the transmission of Text Messages is subject to the availability and performance of telecommunications providers and networks, as well as recipients’ devices, that those networks, providers, and devices are wholly outside of HostMy’s control, that Text Message transmission time may vary, and that transmission is subject to limited message lengths. You acknowledge and agree that the Software can only be used to send Text Messages to and receive Text Messages from telecommunications providers with which HostMy has partnered and to the extent allowed by HostMy’s agreements with those providers. You acknowledge and agree that telecommunications providers may prevent their subscribers from receiving Text Messages and that subscribers themselves may block telephone numbers, in which case Text Messages cannot be received by those subscribers, and that HostMy has no responsibility for the practices or policies of any telecommunications providers. You acknowledge and agree that the performance and quality of the Software may be degraded due to capacity and technical constraints imposed by telecommunications providers and networks or by the Software itself.

7. Your Obligations. Solely you are responsible for providing, setting up, maintaining, and operating your information technology infrastructure, including Customer Systems, as necessary to access and use the Services, whether that infrastructure is operated directly by you or through the use of third parties sourced by you. You will assign personnel with relevant training and experience to work in consultation with HostMy. You will provide all cooperation and resources as HostMy may reasonably request to enable HostMy to perform its obligations and exercise its rights under these Terms and as may be required by the Agreement. HostMy is not liable for any delay or failure of performance to the extent caused by your delay in performing or failure to perform any of your obligations under these Terms or the Agreement.

8. Fees; Expenses. Fees for the Services are as stated in the Agreement and subscriptions selected on the HostMy website (“Fees”). Unless otherwise expressly stated on the Agreement, recurring monthly subscription Fees are due monthly in advance and one-time Fees are due on the date of the Agreement.

A. Metered Fees: Metered Fees for additional messages will appear on your following month’s invoice. Additional messages are counted in additional message segments above your subscribed allotment. Messages (“Message” and plural “Messages”) and additional message segments are synonymous terms. A complete text message (“Text Message”) may be composed of multiple message segments as defined by the wireless carrier industry. Inbound Text Messages consume one (1) Message or Message segment. Your outbound Message consumption of our SMS platform is calculated by the number of Message segments that you send, not by the actual number of complete Text Messages. For outbound Text Messages, the first Message segment of a plain text Text Message is 160 characters. If the Text Message is longer than 160 characters, Message segments are calculated by dividing the total number of characters by 153 and rounding up. Emojis and other special characters such as non-roman characters use unicode which takes more bits to transmit. The first Message segment of a Text Message containing unicode is 70 characters. For outbound Text Messages longer than 70 characters containing unicode, the number of segments is calculated by dividing the total number of characters by 67 and rounding up. Note: This agreement gives HostMy the right to adjust any metered fees prior to your next billing cycle with prior notice. This is to protect HostMy from additional fees and surcharges charged by the Carriers.

B. SMS Campaign Registration Fees: These fees include registration with TCR (the campaign registry) to accommodate 10DLC guidelines. The Campaign Registration fees also include costs associated with industry and application to person compliance.

C. Taxes: Fees are exclusive of any applicable sales taxes and similar charges. You are currently responsible for any taxes and similar charges imposed as a direct result of the Services, excluding any taxes on HostMy’s net income. If at such a point in time, HostMy is required to collect tax on your subscription, you agree to pay the taxes based on your local tax jurisdiction. If Sales Tax applies for your jurisdiction, HostMy will collect the applicable tax directly on your recurring invoice.

D. Late Fees: For any Fees invoiced and not automatically paid via cc on file or automatic ACH transaction, you will pay those Fees to HostMy within 20 days of the date of the invoice. HostMy also may charge late fees of up to $25 for payments made beyond 20 days after the invoice is received. In addition, any amounts not paid when due will bear finance charges equal to 1.5% per month or the maximum rate permitted by applicable law, whichever is less. All fees are non-refundable.

9. Term; Termination.

A. Term; Renewal. The Agreement commences on the date thereof and continues until terminated in accordance with these Terms. The initial term of the Agreement is one month commencing on the date of the Agreement. That initial term will automatically renew for successive one-month periods unless either party provides the other party with at least 30 days’ prior written notice of non-renewal. HostMy may increase the Fees for any Services effective upon any renewal term by providing you with written notice at least 30 days’ prior to the commencement of that renewal term.

B. Termination for Cause. Either party may terminate the Agreement for the other party’s material breach of these Terms, provided the terminating party provides the breaching party with at least 30 days’ prior written notice. The breaching party will have 30 days from the date of receipt of the termination notice to cure the breach. Upon any termination by HostMy under this subsection, you will promptly pay HostMy all outstanding Fees and other amounts due under the Agreement.

C. Obligations Upon Termination. Upon any non-renewal or other termination of the Agreement, you and your employees and contractors will immediately cease all access to and use of the Software and Documentation, including removing any HostMy-provided widgets from your websites, and you will promptly destroy all of HostMy’s Confidential Information in its possession. Sections 5, 6, 7 (as applicable), 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, and 25 survive any termination of these Terms.

10. Intellectual Property Rights. HostMy is the exclusive owner of all right, title, and interest in and to the Software, all Documentation and materials, and all ideas, concepts, know-how, methodologies, and techniques related to the same, including all patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, and other intellectual property rights, whether developed by or on behalf of HostMy prior to or during the term of the Agreement. HostMy will be free to use any general knowledge, experience, skills, ideas, concepts, techniques, and know-how that are retained in the memory of HostMy’s personnel in connection with these Terms or the Services. HostMy is the exclusive owner of and you hereby irrevocably assign to HostMy all right, title, and interest (including all intellectual property rights) in and to all feedback pertaining to the Services as may be provided by you or your employees or contractors, including suggestions, enhancements, recommendations, and other comments. You understand that feedback may be used by or on behalf of HostMy for any purpose but that under no circumstances is HostMy required to use any feedback. Except as expressly stated in these Terms, no licenses or other rights, express or implied, are granted by HostMy to you under any patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property right of HostMy. The Software may contain references to third-party trademarks and copies of third-party copyrighted materials, which are the property of their respective owners.

11. Copyright Policy. We respect the intellectual property rights of others and we ask that our users do the same. In accordance with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (“DMCA”), located at 17 U.S.C. § 512, and other applicable laws, we strive to expeditiously remove any infringing material from the Services if we become aware of the same. If you believe that anything on the Services infringes any copyright that you own or control, please provide our designated agent with a notice that contains the following information: (a) a description of the copyrighted work(s) that you claim have been infringed; (b) a description of the allegedly infringing material, including its location on the Software; (c) a statement by you that you have a good faith belief that the disputed use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law; (c) your email address, telephone number, and mailing address; (d) a statement by you, made under penalty of perjury, that the above information in your notice is accurate and that you are the copyright owner or are authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf; and (e) an electronic or physical signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the copyright owner. Your notice must meet the then-current requirements implemented by the DMCA. Contact information for our designated agent for notice of claims of copyright infringement is as follows:

ipSBS Managed Services, LLC
4408 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37921
865-588-5723 (telephone), support@HostMy.com (email)

12. Use of Marks. Neither party may, without the other party’s prior written consent, use the names, logos, or trademarks of the other party, except that you may identify HostMy as a vendor and HostMy may identify you as a customer in its marketing materials and on its customer lists.

13. Service Data. “Service Data” means all data that is entered into, submitted to, or uploaded to the Software by you or on your behalf or otherwise collected by the Software in the course of your use of the Software, including all Text Messages, Multi Media Messages and all data regarding your access to or use of the Software (e.g., performance statistics and usage data), as well as all reports and materials generated by the Software containing, based on, or reflecting any of that data. HostMy may copy, modify, prepare derivative works of, distribute, commercially exploit, and otherwise use Service Data in any manner for the purpose of delivering the Services to you, provided that HostMy will not use Service Data in a way that allows you, your customers, or any other individual to be identified by any third party. HostMy also retains the right to review any data for the purposes of training or support.

14. Privacy Policy. We may collect certain information from your use of the Software as described in our Privacy Policy, located at https://HostMy.com/privacy-policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by this reference. Your use of the Software constitutes your consent to the information collection, use, and sharing described in our Privacy Policy. We recommend you inform your customers and any other individuals with whom you communicate using the Software that (a) you use a third party to send and receive text messages, (b) HostMy collects certain information from those individuals as a result of text messages being sent and received using the Software (for example, their mobile telephone numbers and Text Messages), and (c) HostMy will use that information for purposes of making the Software available. This can be done by making those individuals aware of our Privacy Policy. If any provision of our Privacy Policy pertaining to Service Data conflicts or is inconsistent with any provision of these Terms, these Terms will control with regards to that Service Data.

15. Confidentiality. “Confidential Information” means all information disclosed in connection with the Services or these Terms by or on behalf of HostMy to you, or otherwise obtained by you, whether or not identified as “confidential,” that HostMy considers or protects as confidential and that should reasonably be understood to be confidential given the content of the information and the circumstances of disclosure, including: the Software; all Documentation; the contents of the Agreement and these Terms; marketing, advertising, distribution, and sales practices; financial information; customer and vendor lists and information; strategies, tactics, and business plans; business models; policies, methods, and processes; technical specifications; software applications; computer code; technology; know-how; ideas; trade secrets; algorithms; and data. Confidential Information may be in any form and includes all copies of Confidential Information. Confidential Information is solely the property of HostMy. You may not use Confidential Information for any purpose except as necessary to perform your obligations or exercise your rights under these Terms. You may not disclose Confidential Information except to your employees and contractors who have a need to know for purposes of performing your obligations or exercising your rights under these Terms, provided those individuals are bound by confidentiality obligations as least as stringent as those contained in this section. You will use the same measures to protect Confidential Information from unauthorized use and disclosure as you use to protect your own most confidential information, but in no event less than a reasonable degree of care. You will be responsible for any breaches of this section by your employees and contractors. If a third party requests that you disclose any Confidential Information pursuant to a subpoena, summons, search warrant, governmental order, or other lawful process, you will provide prior written notice to HostMy of the disclosure as to afford HostMy the opportunity to resist the release of Confidential Information and you will release only that Confidential Information that your legal counsel advises is required to be disclosed in order to comply with the request.

16. Warranties; Disclaimer.

A. Mutual Warranties. Each party warrants that it has the authority to enter into these Terms and to perform its obligations under these Terms and that it is under no contractual obligation that will interfere with its ability to satisfy its obligations under these Terms.

B. Your Warranties. You warrant that the Services will not be accessed or used in any manner not permitted by these Terms, that you will perform your obligations and exercise your rights under these Terms in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations (including any applicable export or import laws or regulations), and that no Text Message will cause HostMy to violate any law or regulation.

C. Disclaimer of Warranties. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the Services are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis, without warranties of any kind. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, HostMy disclaims all warranties, express, implied, statutory, and otherwise, with regards to the Services, including without limitation the warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and noninfringement, and any warranties arising from a course of dealing or usage in trade. HostMy does not warrant that the Services will be free of error, viruses, or other harmful components, or that any defects will be corrected. HostMy does not guarantee the quality, accuracy, or availability of the Services. HostMy has no responsibility for the timeliness, deletion, misdelivery, or failure to store any Text Message or other user communication. HostMy makes no warranty that the Services will ensure your or any other person’s compliance with any regulatory programs or applicable laws or regulations. You acknowledge and agree that the Services may be subject to limitations, delays, and other problems inherent in the use of telecommunications, the Internet, wireless networks, and electronic communications. HostMy is not responsible for any delays, inaccuracies, delivery failures, or other failures or damage resulting from those problems or any other problems outside of HostMy’s reasonable and direct control, including without limitation telecommunications services, the Internet, your wireless networks, and any third-party software. We make no representation that the Services are appropriate or available for use in locations other than the United States. If you choose to access the Services from locations other than the United States, you do so at your own risk and you are responsible for complying with applicable laws and regulations. No advice or information, oral or written, obtained by you from HostMy or in any manner from the Services creates any warranty.

17. Indemnification. You will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless HostMy, its affiliates, and its and their respective directors, officers, owners, employees, contractors, representatives, consultants, agents, suppliers, and licensors (together, “HostMy Parties”) from and against all claims, complaints, actions, lawsuits, demands, proceedings, losses, liabilities, damages, judgments, settlements, fees, fines, penalties, costs, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of or in connection with (a) your or your employees’ or contractors’ gross negligence, willful misconduct, or other tortious acts or omissions; (b) misuse of the Services by you or your employees or contractors; (c) use of the Services for unlawful purposes; or (d) any noncompliance with regulations or violations of law.

18. Limitation of Liability. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, in no event will the HostMy Parties be liable for any direct, indirect, special, incidental, exemplary, punitive, or consequential loss or damage, or any other loss or damage of any kind, arising out of or in connection with the Services, including your access to or use of, or inability to access or use, the Software, whether the claim is based in contract, tort (including negligence), strict liability, warranty, or otherwise, and even if a HostMy Party has express knowledge of the possibility of the loss or damage. Your sole and exclusive remedy is to stop accessing and using the Services. Without limiting the foregoing, in no event will HostMy Parties’ liability to you exceed the amount of Fees paid by you under the Agreement during the one-month period immediately preceding the event that gave rise to the liability, even if this remedy fails of its essential purpose. Some jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain damages, so some of the above exclusions and limitations may not apply to you.

19. Force Majeure. Except for your payment obligations, neither party will be liable for failure or delay in performing any obligation under these Terms due to circumstances beyond its reasonable control that prevent it from performing its obligations, including without limitation acts of God or nature, actions of the government, fires, floods, strikes, civil disturbances, or terrorism, and power, communications, satellite, or network failures.

20. Audit; Suspension. Upon reasonable prior written notice and in a manner that does not unreasonably disrupt your day-to-day operations, HostMy and its designated representatives may audit, examine, and make copies of data and other information in your possession or control that relate to or concern your compliance with these Terms. Additionally, HostMy may remotely monitor your use of the Software for purposes of evaluating your compliance with these Terms. HostMy may immediately suspend your access to the Software if HostMy reasonably suspects a material breach of these Terms or if any Fees remain unpaid for more than 30 days following any due date. HostMy will use commercially reasonable efforts to notify you prior to any suspension.

21. Injunctive Relief. Your breach of Sections 3, 4, 5, 12, or 15 would cause irreparable harm to HostMy and monetary damages would be insufficient to remedy that harm. Accordingly, in the event of actual or threatened breach of any of those sections, HostMy will be entitled to injunctive relief, without the need to post bond, prove damages, or meet any similar requirement, as well as any other remedies available at law or at equity.

22. Relationship of the Parties. HostMy is an independent contractor. These Terms do not create any employment, agency, partnership, or joint venture relationship between the parties. Neither party has any authority to contract for or bind the other in any manner or make any representation or commitment on behalf of the other.

23. Notice. All notices, consents, and other communications permitted or required to be given under these Terms must be in writing and addressed to the recipient’s address set forth in this section or such other address as the recipient provides in accordance with this section and will be deemed validly given upon delivery if personally delivered with fees prepaid, including by a recognized courier service; upon receipt if delivered by certified or registered United States mail, postage prepaid and return receipt requested, as indicated by the date on the signed receipt; or on the date the email is sent if via email, provided a hard copy is also provided. Where HostMy is the recipient, communications must be sent to 

4408 Middlebrook Pike, Knoxville, TN 37921, with a copy to agreements@HostMy.com. Where you are the recipient, communications must be sent to the address on file with HostMy.

24. Governing Law. These Terms are governed by the laws of the state of Tennessee, without regard for its conflict of law principles. The Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act or any version thereof adopted by any state in any form does not apply to these Terms. The United Nations Convention for the International Sale of Goods does not apply. Venue is exclusively in the state or federal courts, as applicable, located in Knox County, Tennessee, with respect to any dispute arising under these Terms.

25. General. These Terms, including the Agreement, our Privacy Policy, and any items that may be incorporated by reference therein, are the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the subject matter of these Terms and supersede all previous agreements and understandings, whether oral or written, between the parties with respect to the subject matter of these Terms. The Agreement may only be modified or amended by a writing signed by both parties. If you submit order forms, purchase orders, or other documents, no preprinted or other terms contained in those documents will amend or supersede any provision of these Terms. HostMy’s failure to enforce any provision in these Terms will not constitute a waiver of that provision or any other provision. The waiver by either party of any provision of these Terms will not be deemed a future waiver of the same provision or a waiver of any other provision. If any provision of these Terms is held to be unenforceable in any jurisdiction, that provision will be ineffective as to that jurisdiction to the extent of the invalidity or unenforceability and without invalidating any other provision of these Terms. You may not assign the Agreement or these Terms without HostMy’s prior written consent. HostMy may assign the Agreement and these Terms without obtaining your consent. These Terms will inure to the benefit of and be binding upon the parties’ respective successors and permitted assigns. The headings in these Terms are for convenience only and will not be construed to affect the construction or interpretation of any provisions of these Terms.

26. Contact Us. Please direct any questions and concerns regarding these Terms to us by email at agreements@HostMy.com, by text message or telephone at 865.588.5723, or by mail at the address above.

27. General Service Descriptions.

A. Text Message. The term “text message” means a message consisting of text, images, sounds or other information that is transmitted to or from a device that is identified as the receiving or transmitting device by means of a 10-digit (10DLC) telephone number or N11 service. Text message is also short message service (commonly referred to as “SMS”) message and multimedia message service (commonly referred to as “MMS”) message. Text Message does not include a real-time, two-way voice or video communication.

B. SMS Enabled DID (Basic SMS Service) – An SMS enabled DID is part of HostMy “Basic” SMS service. An SMS Enabled DID can send and receive Text Messages to and from 10DLC numbers. Basic SMS Service includes multiple contact lists, bulk messaging, multiple number management, multi-user management, Start/Stop/Help functionality, message delivery status, mobile applications, Application Programmer Interface (API), number blocking and Campaign Registry support. SMS Basic Service includes 1,000 SMS messages unless the subscription specifies otherwise. Both sent and received messages are counted. The features provided as part of Basic SMS Service are subject to change without notice.

C. SMS Pro Upgrade. SMS Pro Upgrade is an additional charge to Basic SMS Service. It does not include any additional message allowance. Current features supported in SMS Pro Upgrade include Website SMS Chat Initiation Widget, Time of Day/Day of Week/Keyword Auto replies, Keyword Opt In to Contact List and Restricted Conversations. The features provided as part of SMS Pro Upgrade are subject to change without notice.