Discover how RCS is transforming messaging with enhanced compliance, local identity, and higher throughput.
Choosing the right messaging solution is crucial for independent software vendors (ISVs) that need to integrate effective communication systems into their applications. And in today’s mobile-first world, engaging with customers through SMS is more important than ever.
The two most popular messaging options are 10DLC (10-digit long code) and . Each has its strengths and unique applications depending on your business’s needs.
Related articles
To help you understand which is best for you, we’ll discuss how ISVs can get set up with Telnyx and give you a comprehensive comparison of 10DLC vs. Toll-Free numbers to help you decide which is best for your business.
Before getting into the details of different messaging types, we need to cover account setup for ISVs.
At Telnyx, we typically see ISVs split into two scenarios:
This second setup requires a more complex arrangement, which is typically split into the following two options:
Standard accounts are the recommended and most common option for ISVs that allow users to send their own traffic. In this scenario, your ISV has a single account but creates separate messaging profiles and numbers for each customer.
These accounts are typically less complex to manage, though ISVs will need to employ Usage Reports or a similar per-Messaging profile to help you separate charges per individual customer.
Note: Telnyx plans to offer billing controls on a per-message-profile basis in late 2024.
Managed accounts allow ISVs to create a single master account with managed sub-accounts for each customer.
This setup can be cleaner for many ISVs, as it allows for total separation of billing. However, it can become unwieldy at scale since you need to complete all the same checks—such as Level 2 Verification—for each managed account.
In this tech talk, we explore the current state of 10DLC (10-digit long code) and related processes in 2023: compliance, registration, and campaigns. We also answer over 30 live questions about 10DLC on topics ranging from political campaigns to what constitutes "A2P" traffic.
10DLC (10-digit long code) compliance regulations are changing again... In this talk our telco experts shed some light on the latest 10DLC industry updates. They cover important new guidance around opt-in language, details on privacy policies, and provide simple, real-life examples of how to apply the updated rules.
Rich Communication Services (RCS) has long been hailed as the next evolution of mobile messaging, bringing features like high-resolution media sharing, typing indicators, and verified sender profiles to the native messaging app. For businesses, RCS promises richer customer interactions than SMS. However, its adoption has faced hurdles over the years. With recent developments – including Apple’s support for RCS in iOS 18 and the GSMA’s push for end-to-end encryption – the RCS landscape is rapidly changing. This article explores key challenges in RCS adoption and how businesses can overcome them, backed by industry insights and real-world trends.
One of the biggest barriers to RCS adoption has been fragmentation across devices and networks. Not all carriers and phone manufacturers supported RCS initially, leading to inconsistent features and limited reach. The lack of interoperability between iPhones and Android devices was a major obstacle.
Recent progress has significantly closed that gap. Apple’s iOS 18 added RCS support in the Messages app, enabling more seamless messaging between Android and iPhone users. The GSMA’s Universal Profile has also helped standardize RCS features across supporting carriers. Businesses should work with messaging providers that support broad network reach, Universal Profile compliance, and fallback to SMS for users without RCS support.
RCS has historically lacked universal end-to-end encryption (E2EE), creating privacy concerns. Some implementations, like Google Messages, offer E2EE for one-on-one chats, but support varies across platforms and carriers. Businesses may hesitate to use RCS for sensitive communications.
The GSMA is actively developing a standardized E2EE protocol for RCS. Google already uses the Signal Protocol in its RCS implementation, and Apple is collaborating with the GSMA to strengthen encryption standards. In the meantime, RCS still offers security benefits over SMS, including verified sender profiles that help prevent spoofing and phishing.
To address these concerns, businesses should:
Businesses adopting RCS must adhere to global messaging laws, including TCPA in the U.S., GDPR in Europe, and for healthcare. RCS messages are subject to the same consent and opt-out rules as SMS, and multimedia content must comply with advertising and data protection standards.
To maintain compliance:
Historically, businesses were hesitant to adopt RCS due to limited reach, uncertain ROI, and complex setup. Without iOS support, many companies had to maintain separate messaging strategies for Android and iPhone users. RCS also introduced new tasks: integrating APIs, designing templates, and navigating sender verification.
These barriers are now falling. Apple support expands reach, and fallback to SMS ensures message delivery. Unified APIs let developers send a single message payload, with the platform choosing the appropriate channel (RCS or SMS).
Businesses can:
RCS rollout has been uneven globally. Asia and Latin America adopted early, while North America and Europe saw slower uptake. Carriers often launched RCS with different apps or branding, leading to confusion.
With the GSMA’s Universal Profile gaining traction and Apple onboard, RCS is moving toward global consistency.
Businesses should:
OTT apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, and WeChat dominate in many markets. They offer rich features, established user bases, and end-to-end encryption.
RCS stands out by offering:
Rather than replace OTT apps, RCS complements them. Businesses can adopt omnichannel platforms that support both OTT and RCS, reaching users on their preferred channels while improving SMS programs with RCS capabilities.
With broad device support, maturing standards, and growing carrier alignment, RCS is positioned to become a universal business messaging channel. To get started:
RCS adoption is accelerating. Businesses that embrace it now will gain a competitive edge and elevate the customer experience with richer, more trusted conversations.
What is RCS adoption? RCS adoption is the process of carriers, operating systems, and device makers enabling the Rich Communication Services standard in default messaging apps. Compared with SMS and MMS, RCS adds high-quality media, group controls, read receipts, typing indicators, and better spam protection.
When was RCS adopted? The RCS standard emerged in 2008, gained a major push from Google between 2015 and 2019, and accelerated when Apple added support in iOS 18 in 2024. Real-world availability still varies by region, carrier, and device.
Is RCS good or bad? RCS is strong for richer features and better transport security than SMS, especially for media-heavy conversations. The trade-offs are uneven support across networks, higher data use than SMS, and inconsistent end-to-end encryption in some scenarios.
What is the purpose of RCS? RCS upgrades carrier messaging to an IP-based, app-like experience that works natively without third-party apps. It brings modern chat features while preserving interoperability across devices and networks.
Does RCS replace SMS and MMS? Not yet, because devices fall back to SMS or MMS when RCS is unavailable or disabled. Planning for mixed environments is essential, so teams should map rich experiences to MMS capabilities when needed.
What do businesses need to enable RCS messaging? You need carrier and device support with RCS turned on, plus workflows that gracefully degrade when a recipient lacks RCS. If your app needs a universal path today, design logic that falls back to supported SMS or MMS types without breaking the experience.
What happens if a recipient does not support RCS? Messages automatically downgrade to SMS or MMS so delivery continues, though rich features like typing indicators and reactions will not appear. For multi-recipient campaigns with mixed device support, consider MMS group or broadcast messaging to keep reach and formatting consistent.
