Rich Communication Services (RCS) is an enhanced messaging protocol that upgrades traditional SMS and MMS for person-to-person (P2P) communication. Designed to offer a more dynamic experience, RCS includes features like high-resolution media sharing, read receipts, typing indicators, and group chat functionality.
RCS is often compared to messaging apps like WhatsApp or iMessage for its rich capabilities, but it operates natively on mobile devices without requiring a third-party app.
While RCS is primarily intended for personal, person-to-person communication, its business-oriented counterpart, Rich Business Messaging (RBM), applies the same technology for application-to-person (A2P) use cases. RBM enables businesses to send branded, interactive messages with features like quick-reply buttons and actionable links, making it ideal for customer engagement and marketing.
RCS adoption has been gradual due to varying levels of carrier support and the lack of integration on iOS devices. Additionally, RCS requires an active internet connection, unlike SMS. Despite these challenges, its feature set is making it increasingly popular for enhancing personal messaging experiences.
