RCS supported carriers

[dk001]

Didn't Apple say they were working with Google on this? Are carriers not able to use their existing implementations for Android on iPhone?

Not Google. Apple said they are working with GSMA to add E2EE to the standard. That is going to be a challenge as many carriers and countries have already adopted and implemented Google’s version as the standard.

Apple’s RCS implementation is a half step but still better than SMS/MMS.

 

[dk001]

This is more true for some rather than others. Visible does Apple watch but not iPad, same for Mint I believe.

I really just don't get it sometimes. The iPhone is a Phone, an iPod, and an Internet Communicator; one would think Apple would want it to be the very best at all of those things.

The unfortunate reality is that there's no business interest in making the best product.

Mint does not support cellular for the AW.

 

[Paddle1]

Not Google. Apple said they are working with GSMA to add E2EE to the standard. That is going to be a challenge as many carriers and countries have already adopted and implemented Google’s version as the standard.

Apple’s RCS implementation is a half step but still better than SMS/MMS.

You're right. Apple only said they will be working with "GSMA members" not specifically Google. I got confused with their Bluetooth partnership.

 

[hevaKmaI]

I'm able to send RCS messages to one of my friends on AT&T, however sending pictures/images seems to fail.

 

[gwhizkids]

I'm able to send RCS messages to one of my friends on AT&T, however sending pictures/images seems to fail.

I was able to send pictures. Also on AT&T.

 

[hevaKmaI]

I was able to send pictures. Also on AT&T.

A little while later and it seemed to finally go through.

 

[MegaBlue]

Added Cricket to the list. It currently does not have it either.

 

[Arths]

Toggle does not show up for Free in France

 

[redbeard331]

Toggle does not show up for Free in France

How much is it asking you to pay for it?

 

[ManuCH]

Didn't Apple say they were working with Google on this? Are carriers not able to use their existing implementations for Android on iPhone?

Hmm, I haven't heard Apple saying they were working with Google on this, maybe I missed it? Do you have a link?

And most carriers don't have an RCS implementation in place, at least not in Europe. One of the Swiss carriers had it at some point, then discontinued it when they noticed Google also had one. So they didn't want to unnecessarily operate a platform that gives no added value.

 

[Arths]

How much is it asking you to pay for it?

It’s a carrier 😂

 

[DF1234]

RCS only shows up on 3 of the many people I know have Android. Is this a bug?

 

[Paddle1]

RCS only shows up on 3 of the many people I know have Android. Is this a bug?

You would have to know their setup. Being on Android doesn't necessarily mean they use RCS messaging.

 

[DF1234]

You would have to know their setup. Being on Android doesn't necessarily mean they use RCS messaging.

Thank you very much

 

[TimFL1]

I don't see this going well at all. If Apple will not provide a Google Jibe-like backend service, it will be a scattered service throughout the world. Many carriers won't care at all to implement an RCS server, as that creates costs.

I work for a carrier myself. I'm not in the team taking care of mobile backend services, and I will sure ask them for some insights, but if there's no money to be made out of this, hardly any carriers will implement it, that's for sure. Leaving the Apple RCS implementation useless.

So I really wonder if Apple will provide their own backend service as a fallback like Google does, or not. Anything else would be ridiculous.

Apple has no reason to support RCS any further by investing in their own RCS hub. They tell carriers to do their job or redirect traffic to Jibe, most will probably do that one day.

More likely this bad experience will just cause iPhone users to have to leave MVNOs like Mint and Visible for more pricey plans. Apple has never been good about supporting US carriers outside of the big 3. You can't use an MVNO on an iPad or Apple Watch. You can't do the iPhone upgrade program either. And you usually can't do eSIM during setup or transfer your eSIM.

That‘s not on Apple. MVNOs run on the big networks (the ones that currently support RCS). Most big providers that rent their infrastructure to smaller ones purposely gimp what functionality MVNOs can offer.

In germany there are essentially 3 big carriers with their own infrastructure, with a plethora of smaller ones that simply "rent out space" on the big 3 infrastructures. There are also many who simply resell big 3 contracts. Almost all of them are gimped in one way or the other (loads of then get a fraction of the bandwidth / speed you can get on these networks, loads of them didn‘t even have 5G until a year or so ago when the big carriers started giving that to smaller ones on their networks).

I had a Telekom contract (a full one) via a reseller once years ago, it was literally the same contract and feature set you could get straight from Telekom for half the price… but it was gimped in certain ways (like eSim transfer during setup -> it was disabled for my contract due to Telekom not allowing resellers to have these useful features).

TL/DR: you‘re pointing your finger the wrong way, these carriers hold back the others on their networks.

 

[DarthBradicus]

Thank you very much

As an example, Samsung phones have 2 preinstalled messages apps (3 if you’re on Verizon). I chatted with two friends yesterday, one who had RCS enabled and one who didn’t.

I learned that the Samsung messages app does not support RCS. The Google one does. I would assume a lot of less technically savvy people just use the Samsung one because it’s the most prominent one on the default home screen. If they switch to the Google one though, they’ll get RCS. I got the one friend to switch apps, and she seems to like it better so far anyway.

 

[gwhizkids]

As an example, Samsung phones have 2 preinstalled messages apps (3 if you’re on Verizon). I chatted with two friends yesterday, one who had RCS enabled and one who didn’t.

I learned that the Samsung messages app does not support RCS. The Google one does. I would assume a lot of less technically savvy people just use the Samsung one because it’s the most prominent one on the default home screen. If they switch to the Google one though, they’ll get RCS. I got the one friend to switch apps, and she seems to like it better so far anyway.

This is why I am so glad I don’t have to use Android. Way too much bloatware from everyone involved.

 

[aggie99]

RCS only shows up on 3 of the many people I know have Android. Is this a bug?

most of my android contacts showed up as sms at first. After sending a couple messages back and forth it switched over to RCS on just about everyone that I messaged.

 

[tehabe]

I wouldn't be surprised if the full list of carriers wouldn't be added until late August or earlier September. It just have to be there with the final release of 18.0

 

[DarkSorrow82]

Works on my iPhone 15 Pro Max Verizon.

 

[Macaholic868]

It works for me on T-Mobile with one big issue I wasn’t aware of. Of all of my Android contacts only a couple of the most tech savvy appear to be able to receive RCS messages. So while it’s a nice gesture in theory, in practice for me RCS support is just about worthless. I’m not about to walk the Android users I know through making sure they have a carrier that supports RCS then having those who have a phone that’s default messaging app doesn’t support RCS through either turning it on or downloading a messaging app that supports it. No thanks….

 

[dk001]

It works for me on T-Mobile with one big issue I wasn’t aware of. Of all of my Android contacts only a couple of the most tech savvy appear to be able to receive RCS messages. So while it’s a nice gesture in theory, in practice for me RCS support is just about worthless. I’m not about to walk the Android users I know through making sure they have a carrier that supports RCS then having those who have a phone that’s default messaging app doesn’t support RCS through either turning it on or downloading a messaging app that supports it. No thanks….

You have that backwards. If they are using Google Messages, RCS is available by default if it detects the recipient can receive RCS. Most carriers including MVNO’s already support RCS (Google version). They need to enable support for it from Apple Messages.

 

[Aoligei]

You have that backwards. If they are using Google Messages, RCS is available by default if it detects the recipient can receive RCS. Most carriers including MVNO’s already support RCS (Google version). They need to enable support for it from Apple Messages.

Enlighten me this a little bit. As far as I know, RCS messaging on Android relies on Google Messaging, which runs on Google Jibe.

Is Apple create their own RCS server? How does Apple RCS server talk to Google Jibe?

 

[Aoligei]

This is why I am so glad I don’t have to use Android. Way too much bloatware from everyone involved.

You don’t have to. When RCS is finally enabled on iPhone, I won’t need dedicated Android phone for messaging my supervisor.

And only Android phone I will buy are Google Pixel phones.

 

[TimFL1]

Enlighten me this a little bit. As far as I know, RCS messaging on Android relies on Google Messaging, which runs on Google Jibe.

Is Apple create their own RCS server? How does Apple RCS server talk to Google Jibe?

Apple tells carriers to provide RCS server details, they run nothing.

Only the big 3 provided RCS details (all provided endpoints that redirect traffic to Jibe, so iPhone users also text via Jibe).

If your carrier does not provide RCS server details to Apple, you wont get RCS.