#Verizon android text messaging program software

RCS messages will also do away with the 160 character limit currently found in SMS messages.īusinesses will be able to use RCS Messaging to send things like boarding passes for airlines, package delivery notifications and credit card fraud alerts. Group messages are possible, and little things such as read receipts and indicators to show other users are typing a message will be included as well.

They will be able to carry out video calls with one another from directly within the messaging app, rather than having to rely on third-party software. This means messages will be able to carry more information, so users can send things like photos, videos and audio messages to one another. The biggest advantage RCS Messaging has over SMS - and the reason it was implemented in the first place - is that it enables users to send rich, verified messages. In more recent times, people signing into a new phone or opening the Messages app will be asked whether they want more advanced messages with chat features.Īny costs will be part of your data plan, but be aware that if you have no data, messages will not be sent - and you'd have to turn off Chat to send those messages via the SMS system instead. You'll have to agree to Google's terms and conditions. RCS is something that you have to opt into and when it becomes available via Google or your provider, you will receive a notification asking you to opt in.

Chat features will tell you if you have support or not, and if it's enabled.

Open the app and hit the menu in the top right-hand corner.

How can I see if I have RCS support on my phone?įirstly, you should use the Google Messages app and make sure it's the default messaging app (while other apps will support it, Google's approach means you need to use its own app).

In the US the major US carriers - Verizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile - agreed a cross-carrier solution for RCS in a programme called CCMI - Cross-Carrier Messaging Initiative and we're now in a position where RCS is globally available and interoperable, with the exception of Russia and China.Īt Google I/O 2022, Google said there were over 500 million RCS users. In the UK, the service went live on 28 June 2019 for some users there was wider roll-out in the US in December 2019. That got the system off the ground, bringing a new messaging platform to Android users - but Google only targeted France and the UK initially. Google has said, however, that if a network supports RCS, its own servers can be used for the transfer of messages. This has seen RCS messaging supported on Android devices and using Google's servers rather than the mobile phone network's servers. However, in June 2019, Google took the reins back. There are probably a number of reasons for that - dropping SMS or MMS tariffs and working on cross-network functions are likely to have seen RCS as low priority. The problem in the past has been that mobile phone networks were handed responsibility for support and few moved on it. It's supported by the stock Google Messages app available on Android.

#Verizon android text messaging program software

Google What's the current status of RCS messaging?įor a number of years, RCS has been widely supported by mobile phone networks, software and devices. It's seen as a rival to Apple's iMessage service, although there are some subtle differences between how these services operate. RCS messaging is very much like WhatsApp, where live chat can take place, including multi-media support, with everything handled via the data network. In 2016, the GSMA agreed on a Universal Profile - a set of standards that all mobile operators, phone manufacturers and software providers can use to help implement RCS on devices. RCS was first formed in 2007 and was taken over by the GSM Association (GSMA), the industry trade body that represents mobile operators worldwide, in 2008. The overall aim of RCS is for it to eventually replace SMS and MMS messaging, the formats we're all familiar with as they have been around for years. Rich communication services is a protocol between both mobile operators and phones. That could all be set to change as Google embarks on a large-scale rollout of the RCS (rich communication services) messaging platform, adding a raft of new features to messaging on Android.īut what exactly is RCS, what features does it have and which devices is it be available on? Read on to find out the answers to all these questions and more. (Pocket-lint) - While there have been many attempts on Google's part to launch one, there is one thing that Android has always lacked: a true messaging competitor to Apple's iMessage.