Pankaj Singh

RCS vs. SMS: What’s the difference?

SMS is being modified to send text messages with multimedia support like WhatsApp does. This is Rich Communication Service, RCS. Learn more about the SMS and RCS differences.

A text-sending approach was under development in the late 80’s. A test SMS was sent in 1984 that was successful but text message was not the priority of that time. According to BBC, Neil Papworth sent a text message wishing “Merry Christmas” to his boss. He used the Orbital 901 to type and send a message to Richard Jarvis who didn’t reply to the message. The Pager captured the people for its text messaging capabilities. The late 80s to 2000 was a crazy time for pager users before mobile phones became handy. By following the years, Nokia and Motorola launched their message-enabled phones in 1995. Rest we all know. 

SMS alone was not fit for the camera phones in 2002’s. The carrier operators and the mobile phone manufacturers think of a solution to send media through messaging. This was the evolution of MMS, a Multimedia Messaging Service. Sony and Ericsson launched a T68i, the first enabled with MMS. This phone allowed a camera attachment to capture and send images, audio-video clips and more, obviously of low-resolution standard as compared to today.

Since early 2000, every phone has been available with SMS and MMS features. It’s not surprising that we are using our smartphones. Its easiest way to reach a mobile phone is just by a number. SMS facilities are independent of the kind of phone using, if you hit a message, it will be delivered instantly. 

Sending an SMS and reaching out instantly doesn’t mean it’s not frustrating. The SMS length is limited to 160 characters to send by any phone. What if someone sends a text message longer than the limited length? The message will be sent in separate parts as two messages received the same on the receiver end. But you might have noticed, that smartphones such as iOS and Androids represent the concatenated version of length as a single message.

In response to this, every carrier and phone company came up with something called RCS by the GSM Association (GSMA) that follows the Universal messaging standards and is capable of sending text with multimedia as WhatsApp does. But it was developed to give phone messenger as capabilities, not by the third party application. 

In recent years, a new smart messaging has been famed: Rich Communication Service(RCS). It’s a smart text messaging carried out by default phone messenger in smartphones. RCS is a recreated version of text messaging that comes with smart features like an approved Sender ID tick, logo pic, multimedia attachment, etc that an SMS cannot provide. 

Let’s go deeper to examine more in RCS. We will also discuss the RCS messaging compared with conventional messages. 

What is RCS?

RCS is the reformation of conventional SMS by Google. An RCS supports smart message features like high-resolution multimedia support, approved sender ID, Description, display picture, group chats, show delivery status, location sharing and more. All the mobile carriers have adopted the RCS messaging. Send RCS Message for Free.

RCS evolved as an open messaging standard that is, it is open for all devices, and any device can avail of the rich communication service without any license or cost concerns. It has a limitation that the device must connected to the data connection (WIFI or LTE/5G) for internet access. The data spent on sent and received messages are counted by mobile carriers.

RCS is not about nowadays, it’s older than the evolution of WhatsApp and iMessage. The RCS was proposed and tested just after the MMS success. The mobile manufacturer and operator consortium has done it to improve the message standard aging for new generations of smartphones. But it was sad by the time, no carrier and device had promoted it as a full-fledged messaging service.

How has RCS Evolved? 

Later that year, Google partnered with Sprint to bring RCS to that carrier’s network. It was a time in 2015 when Google picked up the RCS messaging for modification and ran with it, on the other hand, all carriers became serious about adopting rich messaging. Google acquired Jibe Mobile(Jibe — the RCS communications team at Google for Now) and declared its commitment to specializing it work in the RCS future. In the next year, Google partnered with Sprint to channel the RCS messaging on its network. 

Without the Google incorporation, in 2019 the top carrier operators AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon made RCS service live on their own. It was a time when Sprint was moving to be acquired by T-Mobile as well as Google-Sprint partnership was also blurred. A Cross Carrier Messaging Initiative to have modern messaging as RCS. CCMI originated because carriers were not likely for more services like IMessage without their involvement. 

However, the carrier association failed, leaving RCS messaging to google-sprint part. Later the CCMI had a new plan to make a standalone RCS that would run on a third-party messaging app. This was not a great step towards the RCS. RCS has been divided into two hands CCMI and Google Sprint. Simultaneously, Google has integrated the RCS into its messaging apps replacing conventional SMS for users. 

Mobile companies and carriers started adopting the RCS messaging by Google Sprint by offering the default installed app feature on their launch devices. Samsung also developed its own RCS messaging apps (Samsung to Samsung phones) for its users. Samsung joins the Google RCS and avails it the functionality to its mobile phones. Although Samsung provides both Google Messages and Samsung RCS messages. Both can be used by the user and can make any default messaging Apps on their device. 

Compare RCS vs. SMS

SMS is a conventional way of text messaging using the same operator route as a phone call uses. It does not require any special data or path to deliver it to the user. The SMS does not require data usage so it has no use for Internet protocol IP, WIFI or LTE data activation. That is why SMS does not consume any network data counts against mobile carrier plan. 

On the other hand, smart messaging platforms like RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, FB Messenger use internet protocol. These come into the over-the-top OTT category that uses the data at regular intervals to sustain upon sent and received messages.

The main difference between RCS and SMS is that conventional SMS uses the same carrier path that a phone call uses, while The RCS needs internet data connectivity to send and receive the message. If the data connection is disabled or not available, the RCS messages are not sent or received on the cell phone. This is not with SMS, it’s completely independent of the carrier data. The operational services for SMS begin as phone networks are available. SMS in marketing are used two channels as Bulk SMS and APIs.

Bulk SMS is sending mass messages in one go using the bulk SMS service provider like Authkey does. Get a Free Demo.

Sending the automated SMS includes the SMS API Service. Messaging API can be used to send messages directly from software or applications. Get a Free Demo.

As a result, many found RCS more useful and convenient to use as almost all audiences of smartphones subscribe to the data plans. 

How do I use RCS?

The good thing about RCS users don’t need to download any app or go through any process to use it. It simply works until both network providers support RCS.

RCS should activate automatically when the device is activated only condition is user using Google messages and their carrier supports it. In some scenarios, it’s needed to toggle it on when the first time set up Google messages. To manually change and enable more settings about RCS, It’s simply accessed by selecting Messages app, in the top right corner select click on the profile photo and then Select Messages setting > RCS chats.

Until RCS is enabled, Text messages can easily delivered. If the user has an RCS-enabled device, then the message is delivered automatically. Otherwise, there is a fallback set for SMS. When the RCS message is in process, the bubble message will look darker blue. Also, you get read receipt and indication of typing when the user types the same third-party messaging apps.

RCS messaging offering by global carriers began after 2022 before that it’s only available through most of the U.S. carriers since 2019. The minimum requirement for using RCS messages is smartphone must be running on Android version 5.0 and above. Users can easily enable and disable RCS chats from settings.

Currently, RCS doesn’t support Apple IOS Devices, and there are no official hints from Google or Apple that in future RCS support IOS devices. Instead, Apple pushes theirs.

Will RCS replace SMS?

RCS is designed for the next generation of message protocols that will replace SMS. Somehow in the future, there are chances that we can’t see SMS.

For RCS, there is always a condition that it requires a mobile data connection or an active WiFi connection to receive and send messages like other messaging apps i.e. iMessage, Whatsapp, etc. On the other hand, SMS can only use cellular connections. SMS will be always a fallback option for those who don’t support an internet connection. Google message can do this automatically it switches between RCS and SMS same as Apple does with its iMessage and SMS.

Importantly, the Features phone doesn’t support an internet connection and RCS will never work on that phone. In today’s time many people are using Feature phones they don’t need smartphones. Even more, people work in high-risk and environment-sensitive places where they need rugged phones instead of smartphones. In that case, the exchange of text messages with them is a challenge and here SMS will get important.

However, RCS become a standard feature for all smartphones, We rarely use and exchange Old SMS messages standard.

What is ‘RCS Chat’?

Before the adoption of RCS Google previously used the term “Chat”. It’s a branding term given to the implementation of RCS. But in recent years google made space from chats and most people are familiar with Google RCS. It’s become the only RCS in the market that people are aware of.

Nowadays, the Google version of RCS is used mostly rather than using the technology of universal standard RCS. While both are compatible, Google has added some more features that aren’t part of the open universal standard, most importantly adding end-to-end encryption of messages. It’s possible to add these features by using the Google Jibe platform. It’s a similar process that Apple used to their iMessage, but Google made some changes they made Jibe open to available so carrier networks can adopt their RCS to their network.

Read Blog: How can software developers leverage bulk SMS service?

However, with more companies implementing RCS, the difference between their implementation will increase. Especially if a user of Google RCS has exchanged RCS messaging with a non-google RCS messaging app like (Samsung message) then end-to-end encryption doesn’t work here until they explicitly install Google extension to the RCS protocol.

It’s a good thing that the universal standard of RCS supports more advanced features that are available on all other devices using RCS, such as the support of high-quality media, read receipt reports, group chats, stickers, long messages and more.

Who supports RCS?

RCS is a carrier-based service. It still required a protocol followed by the carriers. Although RCS become more widespread, many carriers use their own term like advance messaging services, SMS plus, advance SMS. These are just the examples of some globally there are more than 50 carriers that support and offer RCS messaging which mostly are North Americans.

However, many carriers adapt and add their own features which support only their messaging apps. Many carriers now partnering with other Android device companies to make their Own RCS messaging apps like Verizon partnering with Samsung to support advanced messaging. Later Samsung align with Google RCS to get more features. Although most of the carriers go with universal standard RCS as a baseline. Some carrier have dropped their support for Samsung messages and suggest customers go with Google RCS messages like Canada Bell Mobility.

Does the iPhone have RCS?

Resisting RCS for many years, Apple finally made an announcement that they will adopt RCS by the end of this year. The most chances are that RCS arrive on IOS devices with the IOS 18 update. It doesn’t mean it replaces Apple iMessage. In fact, apple already confirmed that RCS messages sent like same green bubble as other SMS/MMS messages. We still hope that Apple may choose different color options to help to differentiate between them.

Surprisingly, Apple decided to only support the baseline of Universal Standard RCS, which means there is no support for end-to-end encryption. End-to-end encryption(E2EE) is only provided by Google RCS, however not know when GSM adopts E2EE, When they adopt it, Then Apple will get it automatically. But for now, RCS message exchange between Android and IOS users will be clear without any security. 

It’s still a piece of good news for Apple IOS users who mostly communicate with Android users, the overall communication experience within the Apple ecosystem will little change. Apple already gives advanced features more than universal standard RCS or Google implementation. Apple just has more features than Google RCS, it has end-to-end encryption, Unsend message, its own tapback sticker and iMessage apps. There is a restriction with RCS messages it only works with cellular phones, while on the other hand, iMessage also works on Macs and iPads by just using an email address.

The future of RCS is bright

RCS did not catch pace till 2007 until Google announced a new trend for messaging and tried to achieve the RCS service as a standard messaging for upcoming Android phones. This made a huge difference as different carriers have also formed associations such as CCMI. Now Apple is the last one who left joining RCS messaging following the universal communication standard. 

RCS will be a regular universal message standard soon. What if a standard default messaging app in mobile phones offers the same rich features that other third-party apps like WhatsApp offer? It will consume a percentage of users or more than half of the total. 

RCS is fulfilled the same as the conventional SMS, like it just needs a smartphone and active phone number for the message communication 

RCS is on the track to be a global same as conventional SMS service in the phone. It is all set to send and receive rich messages to anybody just like WhatsApp and Messenger do. RCS will just require a phone number like an SMS.