RCS Messaging

RCS Business Messaging in India

Branded, verified, interactive conversations in your customer's default Messages app. Rich cards, suggested replies, read receipts.

Why RCS

Messaging that feels like a chat app, not a notification

RCS upgrades SMS into a full conversation channel. Your brand logo and name show up as a verified business sender. You send images and interactive cards instead of plain text. Customers tap a button instead of copy-pasting a link. The result: 200% higher read rate and 2x higher engagement than SMS.

Unlike a one-way SMS blast, RCS is a two-way channel. Customers can reply, tap a quick-reply chip, or finish an action without leaving the thread, so a delivery update or an offer turns into an actual conversation. And because every message comes from a verified business sender carrying your logo and name, it lands with a credibility that an anonymous shortcode never had.

SH
StyleHub
StyleHub
Verified business sender
Hi Priya, weekend sale just dropped. Handpicked for you:
Crossbody mini bag
₹1,299 ₹2,499
48% OFF
Classic leather strap
₹899 ₹1,499
40% OFF
UV-block sunglasses
₹1,099 ₹1,899
42% OFF
Show me more Wishlist Visit store
Read 9:14 AM
Features

Everything RCS gives you that SMS can't

Verified branding, rich cards, tap-able actions, two-way conversations. All inside the Messages app your customers already use.

Verified sender & branded business

Your logo, brand name and verification badge show up on every message. Customers instantly know it's you and not a phishing attempt. The biggest trust win in messaging in a decade.

Rich media

Images, videos, GIFs in-line.

Carousels

Swipeable multi-product cards.

Suggested actions & quick replies

One-tap buttons for calling, navigation, web links or branched replies. Customers respond with a tap instead of typing, turning a notification into a conversation that converts.

Read receipts

Know when delivered & read.

No app to install

Lives in the default Messages app.

Auto SMS fallback

Non-RCS devices get plain SMS.

Engagement analytics

Delivery, read, click-through.

RCS vs SMS

What changes when you move to RCS

Same customer, same phone number. A completely different conversation.

Plain SMS

160-char text. Sender ID like AD-MYSHOP. No images, no buttons, no read receipts.

  • One-way notification
  • Open rate ~98%, engagement low
  • Customer copies link, opens browser
  • Universal: works on every phone

RCS Messaging

Rich cards, verified brand, suggested replies, two-way chat. Same Messages app.

  • Conversation, not notification
  • 2x engagement, 40% more CTAs clicked
  • Customer taps a button, action happens
  • Auto-fallback to SMS for non-RCS devices
RCS in India

RCS Business Messaging in India, explained

Which networks support RCS in India?

RCS Business Messaging reaches your customers on any RCS-enabled Android phone, across all three major networks: Jio, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and Airtel. Because RCS is built directly into the Google Messages app that ships as the default on most Android phones, they receive your rich messages without installing anything new. iPhone is more limited: Apple enables RCS carrier by carrier, and in India that is Jio today, on iPhone 13 and above, with Airtel and Vi iPhone RCS not yet live. Any handset that cannot show RCS receives the message as plain SMS automatically, so no customer is left out. There is a full breakdown on our RCS on iPhone in India page.

How RCS fits with your existing SMS

For a business already sending SMS, RCS is an upgrade rather than a replacement. You keep the same mobile numbers and the same use cases (OTPs, alerts, offers and support), but the message itself becomes richer: a verified brand name and logo at the top, images and product carousels in the body, and tap-able buttons that let customers act without leaving the conversation. On any phone or network that does not yet support RCS, the message is delivered as a normal SMS automatically, so no customer is left out.

How to go live with RCS

Going live has two parts: brand verification (your logo, business details, website and support contact) and carrier approval on each network. We prepare the assets, submit the application, track its status and handle the follow-ups. RCS then runs from the same SmsHorizon panel and the same API environment you already use for SMS, with only a small change to the endpoint, so it sits alongside your current traffic with no downtime. Most businesses are live within a week.

Learn RCS

Go deeper on RCS

Straight answers to the questions buyers actually ask before they commit to a channel.

Comparison

RCS vs SMS

What actually changes when you move a campaign from SMS to RCS: sender identity, media, buttons, read receipts, reach and how fallback keeps everyone covered.

Read the comparison
Comparison

RCS vs WhatsApp Business API

Where each message lands, what opt-in each demands, how each is billed, and an honest view of which channel fits which job. Including when to run both.

Read the comparison
India status

Does RCS work on iPhone in India?

What iPhone customers on each Indian network actually receive today, what iOS added and when, and how fallback covers the handsets that are not there yet.

Check the status
Use cases

Who's already using RCS

Any business where a richer, more credible message converts better than plain text. Which is almost every business.

Banking & finance

Verified OTPs that customers instantly trust, rich transaction alerts with branded fraud-prevention buttons, statement cards with download CTAs.

E-commerce

Product carousels with buy-now buttons, abandoned-cart recovery with images, order tracking with live map previews and rate-driver actions.

Travel & hospitality

Booking confirmations with map cards, mobile boarding passes, hotel check-in actions, room previews with one-tap upgrade offers.

Healthcare

Appointment cards with add-to-calendar buttons, lab reports with download CTAs, prescription refill reminders with one-tap reorder.

Logistics & delivery

Live tracking with map cards, ETA updates with reschedule buttons, proof-of-delivery photos and rate-driver in the same conversation.

Customer service

Two-way conversational support, AI-chatbot integration, ticket status with action buttons, quick-reply menus for common questions.

FAQs

RCS Messaging questions

What is RCS messaging?
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is the next-generation upgrade to SMS, built into Google Messages (Android) and Apple Messages (iOS 18+). It adds verified branding, rich media, interactive buttons, read receipts and two-way conversations, all inside the same default Messages app customers already use, with no new app to install.
Which devices and networks support RCS in India?
RCS works on Android phones with Google Messages, the default on most devices, whenever RCS is switched on. That includes numbers on all three major networks: Jio, Vi (Vodafone Idea) and Airtel. iPhone is narrower and depends on Apple enabling each carrier, so see the dedicated FAQ below. Any phone or number that cannot receive RCS gets your message as plain SMS automatically, so no customer is left out.
Does RCS work on iPhone in India?
Partly. RCS on iPhone needs iOS 18 or later and a carrier that Apple has enabled for it. In India, Apple's published carrier feature list shows RCS messaging for Reliance Jio only, and in practice it works on iPhone 13 and above, so Airtel and Vi iPhone users are not RCS-reachable and receive your message as standard SMS through our automatic fallback. iOS also gives the customer a separate switch to turn business RCS off. There is a full breakdown on our RCS on iPhone in India page.
How is RCS different from WhatsApp Business?
RCS lands in the customer's native Messages app (same place SMS lands), so there's no app to download and no friction for the recipient. WhatsApp requires the customer to have WhatsApp installed and to have your number saved or accept your first message. RCS also doesn't require the customer to opt in via QR or referral. If you have their mobile number, you can message them the same way you would with SMS.
What happens when a customer's phone doesn't support RCS?
Automatic fallback to plain SMS, in real time. You send one message through one API; we detect the recipient's RCS capability and pick the right channel. Customers on supported phones get the rich version with buttons and cards. Everyone else gets a clean SMS version of the same content.
Do I need separate registration for RCS sender?
Yes. Beyond your existing DLT registration, RCS requires brand verification (logo, business address, website, support contact) and approval by the carrier. We handle the entire process for you: submission, asset preparation, status tracking and follow-ups. Typical onboarding takes 3 to 5 days.
Can I use my brand logo and verified badge?
Yes. That's the headline feature of RCS. Your verified brand name, logo and accent color appear at the top of every conversation, along with the blue verification badge. No more anonymous shortcodes or AD- headers; customers see your actual brand identity.
How long does RCS onboarding take?
3 to 5 days end-to-end, including brand asset preparation, brand verification, carrier approval and integration into your existing API or platform. We can typically run RCS in parallel with your existing SMS traffic so there's no downtime during the switch.
Can I use my existing SMS API and panel for RCS?
Yes. RCS runs from the same SmsHorizon panel and the same API environment you already use for SMS. The integration is nearly identical; only the endpoint changes for RCS messages. There are no separate credentials and no new platform to learn, so your developers can add RCS with a small change to their existing setup.
Does RCS require DLT registration?
Not in the way SMS does. TRAI's TCCCPR rules, including the February 2025 amendment and the March 2026 draft amendment, do not name RCS, and the definition they work to covers SMS and MMS. RCS instead uses brand verification (logo, business details, website and support contact) and carrier approval, alongside Google's own policy, which requires customer consent and that you honour STOP requests. Two things to keep in mind: your SMS traffic, including any SMS fallback from an RCS campaign, still travels under DLT, and the position could change if TRAI extends the rules to cover richer channels.
How much does RCS cost?
RCS is priced per message and starts as low as 14 paise per message with good monthly volume. The exact rate depends on your volume and message type. Contact our team for an RCS quote tailored to your usage.
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