***

id: b0e8b4e1-9172-49c4-8455-b3f22114b173
title: Subscribers
subtitle: The foundation of user management in Call Fabric
description: >-
Comprehensive overview of SignalWire Call Fabric Subscribers - the building
blocks of Programmable Unified Communications for user management and
onboarding.
slug: /subscribers
------------------

[resources]: /docs/platform/resources

[create-subscribers]: /docs/platform/resources#create

[resource-addresses]: /docs/platform/addresses

[browser-sdk]: /docs/browser-sdk/v3/js

[rest-api]: /docs/apis

## What are subscribers?

Subscribers are the core [Resources][resources] in SignalWire's Call Fabric platform that represent users
in your communication system. More than just a simple user account, Subscribers provide a complete user
management solution with built-in authentication, communication endpoints, and billing integration.

Subscribers represent users in your communication system with enterprise-grade capabilities built-in.
They embody SignalWire's approach to **Programmable Unified Communications (PUC)**, enabling you to onboard
and manage users at scale without building complex infrastructure from scratch.

## What's included

Every Subscriber comes with four core components that work together to provide a complete user management solution:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Identity & authentication" icon="solid shield-halved">
    Secure user management with industry-standard credential storage for usernames and passwords. Extensible profile system for names,
    emails, company details, timezones, and locations.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Communication endpoints" icon="solid phone-volume">
    Multi-channel connectivity with private Call Fabric address for internal communication plus public phone numbers for external calls.
    Full SIP, WebRTC, and PSTN support.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Flexible configuration" icon="solid gear">
    Customizable codec settings, encryption options, and SIP/WebRTC protocols. Configurable communication
    preferences and routing rules.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## How it works

Subscribers are built on three core technical systems:

### Resource addressing

Subscribers use Call Fabric's unified addressing system for consistent identification across all platform
[Resources][resources]. Each Subscriber is uniquely identified by an address in the format `/<Context>/<Name>`.

**Addresses make Subscribers directly callable.** When a call is placed to a Subscriber's address, Call Fabric
automatically routes the call directly to that Subscriber. This enables seamless peer-to-peer communication
without complex routing configuration.

**Common address examples:**

| Address                       | Description                      |
| :---------------------------- | :------------------------------- |
| `/private/john-doe`           | Direct dial to John's devices    |
| `/public/support-agent`       | Publicly accessible support line |
| `/private/jane?channel=video` | Video call to Jane               |

**How direct calling works:**

* When someone calls `/private/john-doe`, the call rings John's registered device
* The Subscriber can answer on any device (mobile app, web browser, desk phone)
* Call Fabric handles device registration, presence, and simultaneous ring automatically

Subscribers default to `private` context for security, with optional public aliases for external access.
Learn more about [Resource Addresses][resource-addresses], including contexts, naming conventions, and advanced routing options.

### Authentication system

Multiple token types provide flexible security and integration options:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Subscriber Tokens" icon="solid key" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers/create-subscriber-token">
    **Standard user authentication**

    For End Users: Issued during login, provide access to user-specific resources. Perfect for web and mobile app authentication flows.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Guest Tokens" icon="solid user-clock" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers-tokens/create-subscriber-guest-token">
    **Temporary guest access**

    For Guest Users: Allows Subscribers to create guest tokens that provide temporary access to specific Resource addresses. The guest token creates a temporary subscriber with limited permissions to access only the specified `allowed_address`.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Invite Tokens" icon="solid envelope-open-text" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers-tokens/create-subscriber-invite-token">
    **Client-side API access**

    For Client Applications: Creates a Subscriber Invite Token that enables client-side bearer token authentication for API calls.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Refresh Tokens" icon="solid arrows-rotate" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers-tokens/refresh-subscriber-token">
    **Session management**

    For Seamless Experience: Handle automatic token renewal and session management without frequent re-authentication.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

### API management

Complete REST API with full CRUD operations for programmatic control:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Create Subscriber" icon="solid user-plus" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers/create-subscriber">
    **Create new subscribers**

    Individual or bulk creation with profile data, credentials, and configuration settings.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Retrieve Subscriber" icon="solid user" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers/get-subscriber">
    **Get subscriber details**

    Fetch individual Subscriber information, settings, and current status.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Update Subscriber" icon="solid user-pen" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers/update-subscriber">
    **Modify subscriber data**

    Update profile information, settings, credentials, and configuration options.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Remove Subscriber" icon="solid user-minus" href="/docs/apis/fabric/subscribers/delete-subscriber">
    **Delete subscribers**

    Remove Subscribers and associated data with proper cleanup and notifications.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

Bulk operations handle large user populations efficiently, while webhooks provide real-time notifications for lifecycle events,
authentication, and communication activities.

## Integration example

Here's how Subscribers work in practice with the [Browser SDK][browser-sdk]:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Authentication">
    ```javascript
    import { SignalWire } from "@signalwire/js";

    // Initialize the client with your token
    const client = await SignalWire({
      token: "<TOKEN>"  // Replace with your actual token
    });

    // Client is now ready to make and receive calls
    console.log("SignalWire client initialized");
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Making calls">
    ```javascript
    import { SignalWire } from "@signalwire/js";

    // Initialize the client
    const client = await SignalWire({
      token: "<TOKEN>"
    });

    // Make a call to another subscriber
    const call = await client.dial({
      to: "/private/jane-doe",
      rootElement: document.getElementById("videoContainer")
    });

    // Handle call events
    call.on("call.state", (state) => {
      console.log("Call state:", state);
    });
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Receiving calls">
    ```javascript
    import { SignalWire } from "@signalwire/js";

    // Define the incoming call handler
    const handleIncomingCall = async (notification) => {
      const { invite } = notification;
      console.log("Incoming call from:", invite.from);
      
      // Accept the call
      const call = await invite.accept({
        rootElement: document.getElementById("videoContainer")
      });
    };

    // Initialize the client with the handler
    const client = await SignalWire({
      token: "<TOKEN>",
      incomingCallHandlers: {
        all: handleIncomingCall
      }
    });
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

### Common use patterns

* **Peer-to-peer calling**: Direct subscriber-to-subscriber calls using private addresses like `/private/john-doe`
* **Conference rooms**: Multiple subscribers joining shared resources like `/public/team-meeting`
* **AI agent interaction**: Subscribers calling AI agents at addresses like `/public/support-ai`
* **PSTN & SIP calling**: Ability to call PSTN and SIP destinations directly from Subscriber applications

## Common use cases

These technical patterns enable real-world applications across industries:

<CardGroup cols={3}>
  <Card title="Contact centers" icon="solid headset">
    **Agent management made simple**

    Secure agent onboarding, real-time presence tracking, call routing with queues, and conference
    bridge integration.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Business phone systems" icon="solid phone">
    **Enterprise communication**

    Complete UCaaS/VoIP platforms with call routing, advanced features, multi-channel support, and user
    lifecycle management.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Video platforms" icon="solid video">
    **Personalized video experiences**

    User authentication, cross-platform compatibility, meeting management, and comprehensive usage analytics.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Value proposition & pricing

<Tip>
  **\$3/user/month** - No setup fees, hidden costs, or complex calculations. Includes complete user management, authentication,
  multi-channel communication, and enterprise-grade security.
</Tip>

### Why choose subscribers?

At **\$3/user/month**, Subscribers provide a complete user management solution with built-in infrastructure:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Complete infrastructure" icon="solid gauge-high">
    User management, authentication, billing systems, and communication infrastructure included.
    Production-ready capabilities without custom development.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Enterprise-grade security" icon="solid lock">
    Built-in security controls and compliance features. Industry-standard authentication and
    encryption without additional implementation.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Predictable scaling" icon="solid arrow-trend-up">
    Fixed per-user pricing with no hidden costs. Infrastructure automatically scales
    without rearchitecting your application.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Developer-first integration" icon="solid code">
    Complete REST APIs, SDKs, and comprehensive documentation. Straightforward integration
    with existing systems using standard protocols.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Get started

Ready to implement Subscribers? Follow these steps:

<Steps>
  ### Create your first subscriber

  Navigate to the [SignalWire Dashboard](https://my.signalwire.com/dashboard) and [create your first Subscriber][create-subscribers] through the Resources section. This establishes your user entity and generates authentication credentials.

  ### Configure user profile

  Set up credentials, contact information, and Resource addresses. Configure timezone, location, and other
  profile details for cross-channel communication.

  ### Set security context

  Configure private and public contexts based on your security needs. Determine which Subscribers need
  public aliases and establish access controls.

  ### Implementation

  Use the [Browser SDK][browser-sdk] or [REST API][rest-api] to connect your application with Subscriber authentication. Implement token management and session handling.
</Steps>