What is RCS?

A Messaging Acronym Worth Learning About

If you’re in the communications industry, chances are you’ve heard at least a little bit about Rich Communication Services, or RCS—and lately the buzz has increased a few notches. But what exactly is it, what is changing, and why should you care?

The (Not-So-) Basics

RCS isn’t new. It was first developed around 15 years ago as a replacement for SMS / MMS with a lot more capabilities. Similar to over-the-top (OTT) apps and Apple iMessage, RCS requires a data channel but allows you to attach virtually any kind of file, including text, images, GIFs, audio, video, documents, and more; file size is virtually unlimited. RCS also includes voice calls, group chats, location sharing, typing indicators, and read receipts. Like iMessage and some of the others, it’s fully encrypted, as well. 

But that’s not all! Unlike iMessage and some of the OTT apps that were designed solely to support person-to-person (P2P) messaging, RCS was also designed to encourage business campaigns (application-to-person, or A2P)! Some of these features include:

• Google Verified Senders – Current SMS / MMS messaging campaigns require you to have your brand and message approved through The Campaign Registry (TCR) and Direct Connect Aggregators (DCAs), but the message sender typically appears on a customer’s phone as…a phone number.  

In contrast, business senders using RCS must first be verified by Google. Once approved, a nifty little blue shield appears on all of your messages, confirming to recipients that you are a legitimate business. But that’s not all…

• Branded Messages – RCS messages are also branded with your business name and full-color logo! In addition to supporting brand recognition, branded messages:
  • • Are more likely to be opened and read
    • Increase business/consumer interactions
    • Are more profitable!

• More Interactive Functionality – RCA incorporates a lot more app / web page capabilities like QR codes, buttons, and links to other smartphone functionality like maps, web browsers, calendar apps, real-time updates, and even transactions. This eliminates the need to go to an app or, in some cases, the need to even have an app! 

Having the functionality readily available in the message also increases the chances of the customer interacting with you or even completing a transaction, vs. searching for the app or clicking through to a web page. 

• Delivery Receipts – Businesses that utilize traditional SMS / MMS campaigns get additional campaign details through carriers’ delivery receipts. RCS also offers this support.

In short, RCS is a quantum leap over SMS / MMS, offering the kinds of comprehensive experiences users have come  to expect from websites and applications. 

Why Am I Just Hearing About This Gem?

RCS sounds awesome…but what’s the catch? Why am I still limited to plain-Jane SMS and MMS campaigns? Does it cost a small fortune?!

(As for the cost, relax. In fact, there’s no carrier charge at all…yet. Although we assume that will eventually happen, we expect it to be in the same range as SMS / MMS campaigns.)

Most importantly, Rich Communications Services were developed by GSMA, a world-wide organization representing the mobile network industry including Google and other Android smartphone manufacturers. Google Messages is the standard messaging application on all Android phones and RCS is the default messaging protocol, although they also receive SMS / MMS and can convert Apple iMessages to SMS / MMS. 

As the last paragraph suggests, however, and your own experiences can attest, Apple and Android/Google have never played well with each other. Apple has long resisted RCS adoption, instead developing its own iMessage system. The differences show up in things like pixelated or non-existent photos and green message bubbles vs. blue. 

Although something like an estimated three-fourths of the world’s smartphone users have Android phones, America is dominated by Apple, with estimates as high as 60-some percent of all users and close to 90% of teen users. Obviously that’s a huge sticking point for U.S.-based companies and those with a lot of U.S. customers.

Why Now—Or When?

This summer, Apple announced that they would finally include support for RCS in their next operating system update. iOS18 was released this week, and mixed marriage Apple/Android families are very excited to report that they’re talking to each other again and even sharing pictures and videos with full fidelity! 

Does this mean you should start planning your first RCS business campaign today, and consider dumping your company app? No. An estimated 50% of Apple users adopt a new iOS within the first three months and 80% adopt it within the first year. In the meantime, messaging providers like Commio are working on how to incorporate RCS into our platforms. Today’s RCS is customer-to-customer only. 

Rich Business Messaging (RBM) is the branded channel for messaging campaigns utilizing RCS and while it’s starting to generate its own buzz, it’s still a work in progress. The availability date of RBM is likely to be sometime in 2025. 

The Campaign Registry is talking up RCS and RBM, but doesn’t discuss how to make it happen. You can verify your business profile with Google, but they don’t state whether this process will also apply to RCS messaging verification. Providers are very short on detail.

All of that said, RCS and RBM are close. Providers are investing and businesses are planning for change. It’s not a question of if but when, and it’s fair to say that it’s not too early to think about the advantages and use cases of RCS and RBM for your own company. Questions? Please feel free to contact us!