What is Rich Communication Services? A Guide to RCS

Rich Communication Services (RCS) expand on the functions of standard SMS or MMS, the most well-known multimedia texting system.

This guide outlines all you need to know about rich communication services–including top providers, pros and cons, and how it can benefit your business.

• What is RCS?
• What Makes RCS Unique?
• Business Benefits
• Providers with RCS APIs
• Pros and Cons
• RCS vs SMS vs MMS
• FAQs

What is Rich Communications Services (RCS)?

Rich communication services (RCS) is a text-based protocol for mobile devices, designed to replace SMS and MMS messaging. It allows users to create group chats, send images and videos, get read receipts, and have end-to-end encryption for messages. Also, there’s no 160-character limit as with regular SMS.

RCS messaging works via mobile data or Wi-Fi, so if the recipient doesn't have cell service but is on a wireless network, you can still send them messages without a problem.

RCS is available to Google Android users and will be supported by iPhone with iOS 18. Most of the top U.S. carriers, including Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile, support the protocol as well.

What Makes Rich Communications Services Unique?

Rich Communications Services (RCS) don't use the same file formats as SMS or MMS. Besides the text transmission features, RCS messaging protocol allows users to send multiple data types such as pictures, videos, location data, pdf files, and even Microsoft Word documents. Customers can also complete transactions within the messaging app.

While it has some security concerns, sender verification is another valuable RCS feature. With sender verification, any text from a business gets verified before sending. That way, customers don’t have to worry about being spammed by third parties pretending to be their favorite brands. When receiving the message, the recipient will see the verified sender’s information–not just the phone number.

Business Benefits of Rich Communication Services

Compared to traditional SMS texting, rich communication services enables more multimedia content, a wider variety of features, better verification, and lets users text directly within an app interface.

More Interactive Messaging

One of the best benefits of rich communications services is the file size. Unlike SMS and MMS, RCS messaging has a file size limit spanning megabytes, not kilobytes. This means you can send more multimedia content to your customers, such as audio and video.

Image source: https://www.theverge.com/

With RCS, your messages can have high-definition images, clickable buttons, and branding, which creates a more browser-like messaging experience. Rich communication services provide a much more detailed user experience, which results in better engagement.

One-App Functionality

Rich communication services let you complete entire transactions right inside the messaging app. Instead of providing a link that opens in a mobile browser, RCS messaging handles all of the functionality directly in the app's interface. Without the need to change software, this creates a universal profile for users.

While browsing through an app or website like 1-800-FLOWERS, you can select different color options and sizes for the product you want. Once you’ve selected the variation of the product that you want, rich communication services app allows you to complete the transaction by providing your payment and mailing details.

This is another way of increasing engagement by making things more convenient for customers.

Easy Feature Integration

RCS lets you integrate more features into your software easily, such as chatbots that help customers navigate through menus. Self-service saves money and agent time. It’s easy to implement inside RCS software, and you can use a FAQ-style setup or incorporate AI for lifelike conversation.

Additionally, since RCS messaging easily sends location data, brands can help customers reach their nearest brick-and-mortar location. RCS enables in-app live updates for purchasing, shipping, and delivery confirmation.

Better Verification

With features like branding and sender verification, customers will know it’s your business sending them communications/offers. Once the sender is verified in RCS, branding is consistent across the board, leading to a better all-around customer experience.

Read receipts also help businesses better keep track of messages sent to customers. For example, you can use it for collection activities. When you send a message about a late payment, you will always know that the customer received and read it — that's because RCS messaging offers rich analytics capabilities comparable to web analytics tools.

CPaaS Providers with RCS Messaging APIs

Communications platform as a service (CPaaS) providers help your developers add messaging APIs to your applications so you can extend your communications channels. This lets your customers reach your brand in ways that they find convenient. Remember, modern customers typically use more than three touchpoints to reach a brand. This means that you have to find the one with the best messaging features to meet your customers' needs.

Here are some providers that include APIs for messaging. These will make reaching out to Android users on the mobile operators that support the system easier.

Twilio

Twilio is a CPaaS provider that makes it easy to send messages to customers. Even though there are lots of great Twilio alternatives, it's a great option for embedding RCS messaging into your service, app, or website. Scale to deliver messages across the globe, with an uptime guarantee of 99.95%. Twilio also has an RCS a drag-and-drop builder to automate message flows for customer self-service.

While Twilio offers regular SMS and MMS, they bundle RCS features like location messaging, real-time delivery updates, and payment processing into the Conversations API.

Pricing:

Twilio's Conversations API starts at $0.05 per active user per month, charging another $0.05 for each additional active user or conversation.

Vonage

Vonage CPaaS offers strong global messaging functionality. Vonage's Communications APIs options let you change the messaging type based on the customer's needs. Vonage RCS supports real-time read status and delivery, AI bots, interactive buttons, images, and GIFs.

Embed RCS into your application with the Vonage Messages API, or use Vonage Conversational Commerce for real-time payment processing and more engagement across the customer journey.

Pricing:

• Conversational Commerce: $5000 setup fee and a monthly recurring fee starting at $1000 per month for 10 licenses
• Messages API: Starts at $0.0050 per message

Sinch

Sinch offers RCS capabilities like branding, tailored offers in outbound messages, and personalized interactions. Embed RCS into your app, with options for shopping and product inventory. Guide conversations with buttons for customers to choose which action they'd like to take within your app. Sinch verifies your company and uses AI to personalize responses to customer messages.

Pricing:

Sinch pricing starts at $0.0078 per message for SMS or RCS.

Kaleyra

Use Kaleyra to create branded RCS messages with custom logos and colors, built into your app or website. Create buttons to guide customer responses, enable in-app purchases, connect buttons to reach support representatives, and embed other features like ticketing and appointment selection.

Pricing:

Kaleyra does not publicize pricing for RCS or SMS, but they do offer custom quotes if you contact them.

Bird

Bird’s (Formerly MessageBird) RCS includes lots of unique marketing features. Attract subscribers from your mobile app, allowing them to opt in directly from the app interface. Send branded messages, automated personalized promotions, and ship orders from in-app messaging. Automate A/B testing, connect with your product inventory for cart recovery reminders, and create templates using custom colors and formats like image carousels.

Pricing:

Bird charges based on the number of contacts you reach out to per month, with a starting cost of $45 monthly to reach 3,000 contacts via SMS.

Infobip

Infobip offers RCS APIs for messaging that you can brand with your logo and custom colors. Send RCS messages with videos, images, carousels, and buttons that link to new pages or auto-generated messaging responses that address customers by name. Enable customers to shop your product inventory and make purchases. Infobip also enables one-time passcodes (OTP) to authenticate customers, transactions, and password resets.

Pricing:

Infobip's RCS begins at $0.221 per message, which is costlier than most other providers listed here.

Google Jibe

Google Jibe lets carriers and OEMs offer RCS services through Google Messages. Engage customers directly in your app with buttons, custom bubble colors unique emoji reactions, and instant videos you can film and send. Record and send voice messages, enable in-app purchases, and more. Google's Jibe Cloud offers a scalable RCS infrastructure.

Pricing:

Google does not post public pricing information for Jibe, but you can email Jibe for a custom quote.

The Pros and Cons of Rich Communications Services

Compared to regular SMS, rich communication services support more features like carousels, branding, read receipts, in-app purchases, and connections to your product databases. Customers can message you directly in your app, rather than through a separate SMS interface.

However,  while RCS will soon be adopted by iPhone, it's currently only supported by Android—and it only works with mobile devices.

RCS Messaging vs SMS vs MMS

To give you a better idea of what rich communication messaging offers, take a look at the comparison below.

Is RCS Messaging a Valid Successor to SMS?

Rich communication services provides key features that help you reach customers where they are most comfortable–directly within their favorite messaging app.

Looking for additional ways to connect with your customer base? Check out our breakdowns of the best call center software solutions on the market.

FAQs

Below, we've answered some FAQs about RCS messaging.