Rich Communication Services

Engaging customers in their SMS inbox with rich, interactive messages powered by RCS

RCS (Rich Communication Services) upgrades SMS and MMS to support richer conversations, including high‑resolution photo and video sharing, group chats, read receipts, and typing indicators. Messages travel over Wi‑Fi or mobile data and require both sender and recipient to have RCS enabled; otherwise, they fall back to SMS or MMS.

Differences Between SMS and RCS

Benefits of RCS SMS Services

Rich Media Content

RCS supports rich media content like high-resolution images, videos, and audio clips, while SMS is limited to plain text

Interactive Elements

RCS supports interactive elements such as buttons, suggested automated replies, and carousels, making it more engaging than SMS.

Read Receipts

RCS indicates when a message has been read and when someone is typing a response, similar to many instant messaging apps, whereas SMS does not offer these features.

Brand Presence

RCS enables branded profiles for businesses, which enhances professionalism and trust in communications compared with SMS, which does not offer this feature.

Group Chat

RCS supports group chats, allowing multiple participants in a single conversation, whereas SMS is limited to one-to-one messaging

Security

RCS includes enhanced security features such as end-to-end encryption, offering stronger protection for messages than SMS

Things Required For RCS Onboarding -

Website - test1.com
Email Id with website domain ( outgoing mail from this will be required ) - a@test1.com
Contact form / checkout page with clear optin message with checkbox
Gst certificate / Udyam Aadhar of the brand
Aadhar / passport of the brand owner - name and number
Logo - Square - 224 x 224 max 50 kb size - jpeg / png
Banner 1440 wide x 448 pixels height max 200 kb size
Privacy policy and terms on your website
Sample actual message

Application Process

Start a new application by entering the brand name, website, logo, legal documents, and contact details using the required formats.
Specify the RCS agent title and description—these cannot be changed after submission.
Select the use case (marketing, transactional, or OTP). Marketing agents can only send up to 4 promotional messages/month between 7 AM and 10 PM, while transactional and OTP agents can send messages 24/7 with no such limits.
Set the agent’s theme color, upload images in specified sizes, and fill contact info, privacy policy, terms URLs, and opt-in URL.
Compose and submit an actual message (with optional media and buttons) to demonstrate real usage in your opt-in form.

Review & Approval

Applications go through two review stages: an internal check, then operator approval.
After review, applicants receive an email to which they must reply with provided content to confirm intent and compliance.
Once all steps are completed, approval typically takes 3–7 days.
This ensures RCS agents are set up professionally, compliantly, and with safeguards for brands and customers alike in the Indian market.