EE and RCS messaging

[JordanTA]

What is RCS messaging?

RCS messaging is an alternative messaging service to SMS, MMS and other third-party apps. It offers a modern and feature-rich messaging experience within the native messaging app on the handset.

Apple has now enabled RCS messages to be sent and received on certain Apple devices, allowing for RCS messaging between Android and certain Apple devices (see below). This provides an alternative messaging services to SMS, MMS and other third-party apps.

What devices are supported?

All devices on Android 5.0 (and above) and  iOS 18 will support RCS.

How do I turn on RCS?

For iOS users:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Tap Messages.
4. Select RCS Messaging under Text Messaging.
5. Now tap the toggle next to RCS Messaging.

For Android users:

1. On your device, open Google Messages.
2. At the top right, tap your profile picture or icon and then Messages settings.
3. Tap RCS chats.
4. Turn RCS chats on.

[XRaySpeX]

@JordanTA : Yes, that tells us what it is & how to use it. But what type of mobile service does EE treat it as, a call, an SMS, an MMS, data use or something else entirely new? Accordingly how does EE charge for it, a per unit charge or does it just deplete your data allowance?

[bristolian]

I'm also yet to discover what RCS can do, that SMS can't. It's the most universal, cross-platform, messaging system available.

[Chris_B]

@XRaySpeX   RCS is sent via data so WiFi or cellular.   Just like what’s app, iMessage on Apple products or messenger.  It’s a data service. 

@bristolian  it’ll not charge MMS costs between iOS or Android provided RCS is enabled on both the senders and receiver phone ,  also higher ( no limit) character count in the message so it’s not limited to 160 characters.  

[bristolian]

Neither is SMS limited to 160 characters - that's only really relevant now, for billing purposes and non-smart-phones.

[Chris_B]

@bristolian  if it’s an SMS it’ll be split in to two texts over 160 characters.  A single text message limit is 160 for a smart or none smart phone   It’s always been 160 character limit.   And this is going back to when I got my first phone way back in 1994.  Maybe 93.      A smart phone will patch together that message that’s over 160 characters to make it look like it’s one message as opposed to 2 or more messages of over 160 characters where a none smart phone doesn’t. 

[bristolian]

That's what I was referring to in my commet re the 160 character limit only being relevant for billing purposes and non-smart-phones.

The limit is embedded in the specs, but concatenation started around 2000 with the Nokia 6210 and has improved ever since.

We digress.