Is SMS messaging at a turning point in history? Is RCS the next big thing? With Google announcing the expansion of its RCS and the rolling out an Early Access Program for the service and Android Messages application will replace the current native messaging app for android - which will be powered by the Jibe RCS Cloud. More than 27 carriers have signed on to partner with Google, which means these carriers will be preloading android messaging to devices.
Rich Communication Services is the communication between mobile carriers and between phone and carrier. It is aiming to replacing SMS messaging with a text-message system that is richer and more interactive to the user. Similar to Apples iMessage system, RCS will offer group chat, high-resolution photo sharing, read receipts etc. The Rich Communication Suite (RCS) industry initiative was formed by a group of industry promoters in 2007.


How RCS will help your business?

In this digital age, customers have come to expect services and brand engagement at any hour, and in a way that the customer prefers, whether that’s SMS or RCS messaging.

RCS give brands the opportunity to interact with their customers using mobile messaging. It is going to bring enhanced features to standard messaging experience across mobile devices, this improved business messaging will help businesses engage with their customers and build deeper relationships through which greater business relationships can be achieved.

‘RCS will upgrade today’s business experience by enabling brands to send more useful and interactive messages. For example, a message from your airline reminding you to check in for a flight can now take advantage of rich media and interactivity to provide a full check-in experience, complete with a boarding pass, visual flight updates, and terminal map[s o demand, all directly within the messaging experience. Businesses can also have a branded messaging experience with information about the business and the ability to share content.’ - Google


RCS vs SMS
- Expanded character set
- Expanded message size
- Expanded ‘status reporting’ , with SMS you know your message is sent, RCS tells you your message is sent, delivered, read, and if the recipient is responding (similar to iMessage, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp etc.)


RCS offers features that people expect from mobile messaging today, such as location sharing, group chats, high resolution photos.


One of the major benefits of RCS for users is that it is tied to your mobile number rather than an app, meaning that there are no downloads required. For Networks, it’s a way to get customers back to the messaging market and be able to once again compete with the likes of Whatsapp and Facebook Messenger.

Here at www.sendmode.com we are working with the early access program and hope to roll out RCS to our customers in the third quarter of 2017.

Saoirse