Your Conversations Are Safe
Nothing has changed about your existing group conversations. They continue to work exactly as before and will keep working indefinitely (conversations auto-close after 6 months of inactivity).
How they work:
You can send and receive messages normally
All message history is preserved
Notifications work the same way
Conversations continue seamlessly
The technical difference:
Existing groups send individual SMS messages to each participant
Participants don't see each other in a group view
This is how all group messaging worked before the Group MMS update
What about new conversations? All new group conversations (with multiple external participants) automatically use Group MMS. The old SMS method only applies to groups that existed before we introduced this feature.
Should You Upgrade?
Keep using the old way if:
The conversation is working fine
It's not worth interrupting the flow
Participants don't need to see each other
The conversation is nearly complete
Upgrade a conversation to Group MMS if:
You want participants to see everyone and reply as a group
You're starting a new phase of the discussion or its an older conversation
You want to use the latest messaging features
How to Upgrade
Step 1: Close the existing conversation
Open the existing group conversation
Navigate to conversation settings
Select "Close Conversation" and confirm
Step 2: Create a new group with the same participants
Click "New Message"
Add the same external and internal participants
Choose your Number (if you have more than one)
Send your first message
Step 3: Provide context (optional) Include a brief reference in your first message:
"Continuing our conversation from earlier..."
"As we discussed previously..."
Critical: Always Close First
⚠️ If you don't close the old conversation first:
Spoke will automatically open the existing conversation when you try to create a new group with the same participants
You'll continue using the old SMS method instead of Group MMS
You won't get the Group MMS benefits
The fix: Always close the old conversation before creating the new group.
What Participants See
When you create the new group:
They receive a new message thread
They can see all group participants (Group MMS feature)
The old conversation remains in their message history
It's clear this is a new conversation thread
Best Practices
✓ Choose a natural transition point to upgrade (new topic, new week, etc.)
✓ Brief participants if helpful: "Starting a new group thread so everyone can see and respond together"
✓ Upgrade during quiet periods rather than mid-urgent-conversation
✓ Keep the same Direct Dial Number for consistency
Questions?
Contact Spoke support if you need help deciding the best approach for your specific situation.