SMS and MMS -- the way we send basic texts and images using our mobiles -- was created in the 90s. And since then, it hasn’t changed much.

But messaging is about to get an upgrade thanks to a new protocol promoted by GSMA and Google.

Rich Communications Services -- or RCS for short -- looks to bring messaging out of an era of brick mobiles and tiny displays and into an age where the mobile in your pocket is more like a computer than a phone.

Unfortunately, timelines for RCS are still cloudy...

Some networks support it now while others plan to offer the feature soon. But firm dates aren’t available in most cases.


Source: GSMA

And even if your network supports RCS, you’ll need a compatible mobile and RCS coverage in your area.

While we expect this to be a mainstream feature eventually, support requires both software updates on mobiles and possibly network upgrades to support the feature. This means availability is limited for now.


How RCS Changes Things (The Good News)

Much like WhatsApp, Telegram, and other popular chat apps, RCS uses Wi-Fi or data to send messages. This means you can still send and receive messages even when you’re in a spotty coverage area as long as you have a Wi-Fi connection.

It’s kind of like Wi-Fi calling but for messages.

Getting away from cellular network transmission also allows RCS to handle more characters per message so you’re not limited to the 160 characters of SMS. While there is a character limit, it’s so high you should never need to worry about it.

The ability to send voice and audio clips provides additional flexibility in how you communicate. You could essentially use RCS like a walkie-talkie, sending short clips back and forth and never have to touch the on-screen keyboard again.

Of course, if you’re doing that, you could just call the person… but it’s still an interesting feature.

Read receipts are included to tell you when someone views your message. While this has some creepy implications, it’s a nice way to know that your message has gone through and didn’t disappear somewhere along the way.

RCS also offers support for high-resolution photos and video as long as the files are under 10MB.

While you might not realize it, pictures sent using MMS are typically compressed. This allows pictures to send faster and use less data.

RCS will allow you to send images and videos with much higher quality so those selfies and shots of the kids and pets will look even better.

You can also attach many more file types to your messages -- including ZIP, PDF, and TXT files -- to make it easier to share files with friends. Just remember, you’re still subject to the file size limits so you won’t be cancelling your cloud storage just yet.


Current RCS Limitations (The Bad News)

RCS comes with a few trade-offs.

For now, the biggest limitation is mobile and network support. You’ll not only need a service provider that supports RCS, but you’ll also need a compatible mobile.

While it is rolling out to more and more Android mobiles, current support is limited mainly to top-tier devices from Samsung and Google.

And iPhone support is non-existent. So if you’re an iPhone user, you’ll likely need to stick to iMessage for now.

The good news is that you already have most of the RCS features in iMessage. You just won’t be able to use them when messaging your friends with Android mobiles.

However, even with a supported mobile and network, you still must be in an RCS-compatible coverage area. While details are vague, most networks appear to offer RCS support in the same regions they support VoLTE.

But if you’re not sure and planning on upgrading specifically to use RCS, call your network and check support in areas you frequent before spending any money.

It’s also important to consider that sending uncompressed photos and video through RCS uses your mobile data if you’re not on Wi-Fi.

So if you share tons of pictures or video message with your friends and family, keep an eye on your data usage -- especially if you come close to your data plan limits already.

Finally, we come to what we consider the biggest downside to RCS -- there is no end-to-end encryption. While the networks encrypt your messages and data in transit, they’re still processed in an unencrypted state on messaging servers. So your network technically might be able to access your message data.

Many of the groups behind RCS claim this is for regulatory and legal reasons -- and your network technically has no reason to peek at your data. But it is something to consider if you’re worried about privacy.


So, Can You Use RCS Yet?

If you see your network in the list below, you should be able to use RCS -- assuming you have a supported mobile. Just click “More Information” to find out device requirements.


Vodafone:

 

Supported

More Information


Don't see your favourite network listed here? We either couldn't find confirmation of support or they don't currently support it. However, you can call your network to confirm and request they add the feature if they have no plans already.


Common Questions

Q. How Does this Differ from WhatsApp, Kik, or those other non-SMS Messaging Apps?

A. In many ways, it doesn’t.

Just it’s now baked into your mobile’s default messaging app so you don’t have to bounce between 8 different chat apps running to stay in touch with friends and family.

How RCS compares to your favourite chat app will differ slightly depending on the platform you’re using. But in most cases, the basic features of chat apps and RCS are very similar.

Q. What About Using RCS on My iPhone?

A. At the time of writing, Apple has shown no interest in adopting RCS. This is probably because RCS and iMessage are very similar.

In reality, you have most of the features Android mobile users will enjoy in the RCS update in iMessage already. So apart from the ability to use those features to chat with your friends on Android mobiles, you’re not missing much.


Summary

RCS upgrades the built-in messaging experience on Android mobiles to mimic the existing features of many existing non-SMS messaging apps.

Upgrades include:

 

Support for HD video and image sharing

 

Message receipts

 

No more message length limits

 

The ability to send messages over Wi-Fi

 

Attachment of virtually any file type

 

Support for voice and audio clips

However, while the feature will likely be widely available in the next few years, current availability is limited to select networks and mobiles.

Once available, RCS is sure to make messaging more powerful and flexible -- even in its earliest stages.


P.S. If you’re worried about people snooping into what you’re talking about in your messages, RCS won’t help. It’s still no more encrypted than SMS or MMS. But if you don’t mind using another app, you can skip the wait for RCS and enjoy secure, encrypted messaging on your mobile with these apps.


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REFERENCES:
[1] Digital Trends : What is RCS Messaging?
[2] Android Authority : What is RCS Messaging and Why is it Important?
[3] Slash Gear : Google’s List of Carriers that Support RCS Messaging Expands
[4] Phone Arena : What Is RCS and Why It May Be the Future of Messaging on Android?
[5] Wikipedia : Rich Communication Services
[6] Google : Delivering RCS Messaging to Android Users Worldwide
[7] Lifehacker : What’s RCS Messaging and Why Should You Care?