What is RCS Messaging?

You’re probably familiar with SMS (text messages) and MMS (multimedia messages) because they’ve been around for quite some time. Because of their tenure, they now feel a bit outdated compared to today’s popular messaging apps. RCS changes that, by enhancing traditional SMS with new features and capabilities.

What is RCS messaging?

RCS stands for Rich Communication Services, and it’s an advanced messaging technology that was designed to essentially replace traditional SMS. It enhances your text messaging with features similar to what you get from modern messaging apps, while allowing you to keep sending messages to other numbers right from your phone. It’s the simplicity of SMS with the advanced capabilities of your favorite third-party messaging apps.

SMS vs RCS

So what are the main differences between SMS and RCS messaging? Let’s do a side-by-side comparison to break down what makes RCS the next generation of messaging. 

	SMS	RCS
Media support	Text-only, 160-character limit	Allows high-quality images, videos & file sharing and has no character limit
Read receipts & Typing indicators	Doesn’t support either	Shows you when messages are read and when someone is typing
Group chat features	Basic group messaging with limited capabilities	Supports group names, adding/removing people, greater media sharing
Internet connectivity	Works only via cellular	Works over Wi-Fi & mobile data networks
Security & Encryption	Unencrypted	More secure (full end-to-end encryption depends on your carrier)

How does RCS work?

Think of RCS as an upgraded version of typical text messaging. It works in your phone’s default messaging app, but offers popular features usually seen in advanced messaging apps. Instead of sending & receiving over cell towers, like SMS, RCS works over Wi-Fi or mobile data. This lets you send higher-quality photos & videos and enables you to see when someone has read your message (read receipts) and is typing a reply to you. These features are automatically enabled as long as both you and whoever you’re messaging have RCS turned on. Otherwise, your messages will automatically switch back to SMS or MMS. 

Benefits of RCS messaging?

So why should you start using RCS messaging? Here are what some people find most appealing about this advanced messaging system:

Better Media Quality

Sending photos & videos is much easier (and looks a lot better) via RCS.  

Read Receipts & Typing Indicators

Know when your message has been read and if they’re in the process of replying (or ignoring you).

Improved Group Chats

Edit group chat names and add/remove people without having to start a whole new group chat.

Interactive Elements

RCS supports in-message buttons to book appointments, add items to your calendar, etc. 

Cross-Platform Support

Friends with Android phones can enjoy reacting to messages from friends with iPhones, and vice versa. 

Enhanced Security

The partial encryption provided by RCS is an improvement over SMS. Also, businesses are able to authenticate themselves with RCS, reducing annoying spam messages & dangerous phishing attempts.  

How to enable RCS on iPhone

If your iPhone has been updated to iOS 18.4 or newer, it supports RCS messaging. You just have to turn it on by following these steps:

• First, go into Settings > Apps > Default Messaging App and make sure it’s set to Messages
• Then go into Settings > Apps > Text Messaging > RCS Messaging and toggle it on

How to enable RCS on Android

In order to use RCS messaging on an Android phone, you must first have Google Messages as your default messaging app. If it isn’t already on your Android phone, install it from the Google Play store, open it, and follow the steps to set it as your default when prompted.

Enable RCS in Google Messages:

• Open Google Messages
• Tap on the three dots in the top-right corner and select Settings
• Tap on Chat features
• Make sure Enable chat features are toggled on. If it’s not, follow the prompts to do so,which may involve verifying your phone number and that your carrier supports RCS

Check for RCS Activation:

Once RCS is activated, you should see “Connected status” or “Chat features” under the Chat features section in your phone’s settings. If it says “Disconnected,” you may be out of data, or RCS may not be supported by your wireless carrier or your Android phone.

Does Ultra Mobile support RCS?

Yes, as of April 7, 2025, Ultra Mobile fully supports RCS messaging. You just need an Android phone with Android 9 or higher or iPhone with iOS 18.4 or higher. RCS is automatically enabled and set to your default messaging service when iOS 18.4 arrives on your iPhone.

RCS is the new standard for messaging

Now you know the how and why RCS has become a preferred method of messaging across the wireless industry. It has yet to be adopted globally, but RCS support continues to grow across more carriers and devices. By bridging communication gaps between devices & platforms and offering an interactive messaging experience, it’s clear that RCS is the future. That’s why Ultra Mobile adapted to support RCS messaging as soon as we could. If you have a phone that supports RCS messaging and you want to take full advantage of it,while saving money, consider bringing that phone to Ultra Mobile.