You may have heard about the RCS. This is a new mobile messaging standard designed to replace old-fashioned SMS, which charges through the data franchise and not for each message sent. The system brings the same features of applications as WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger and etc.
What is RCS?
RCS (Rich Communications Service) is a new communication protocol, which works the same way as SMS, using the infrastructure of the telephone operators. Think of it as an instant messenger, standardized and up-to-date.
RCS would bring the same features as the most popular messaging apps:
- Sending messages with more than 160 characters;
- Support for audio and video messaging;
- Sending of files, images and stickers;
- Support for the creation of conversation groups;
- Possibility to use Wi-Fi;
- You can see another user typing, and so on.
Is RCS better than SMS?
Yes. In addition to all the features already present in the messaging apps, the charge will be based on the amount of data consumed, not per message sent. For a long time, the high cost of SMS was an absurd source of income for the operators, but with the rise of solutions like WhatsApp, Telegram, Messenger, Signal and others, this source has been drying year after year.
Another advantage of RCS is interoperability: the protocol has been developed to allow communication between users of all carriers, as long as they enter the project.
Who can use RCS?
All Android phone users are previously enabled to use RCS. The Google introduced the standard itself Jibe RCS, which depends on your app messages. If a company opts for another solution, no problem: the protocol allows communication between all, even using different messaging apps.
The exception is iPhone users (iOS): iMessage uses another standard, and so far, Apple has not signaled its unwillingness to join the protocol. The company does not want to make its messaging app compatible, whose unique features are crucial to bringing new users to iOS. If an iPhone user communicates with another RCS, the message will be sent as an SMS or MMS.
Curiously, there was a time when Apple suggested making iMessage the default of carriers, just as Google tries today.