Exploring the Telnyx RCS API [Video]

Telnyx is bringing rich messaging into the hands of developers with our new RCS (Rich Communication Services) API. In our latest demo, product manager Barry Reynolds breaks down how the API works—highlighting key capabilities like media-rich cards, suggested replies, SMS fallback, and more.

This post recaps the features shown in the demo and explores how RCS empowers businesses to move beyond plain-text SMS into branded, interactive messaging that lives in the native messaging app.

Agent setup and API structure

Before you send messages with the Telnyx RCS API, you’ll need to go through agent onboarding and brand approval. Once you're verified, we provide you with a bot_id, which serves as your sender identity—similar to the 'from' field in SMS.

Our RCS API aligns with Google's RBM spec while staying true to our v2 API standards across Telnyx products. Key fields in the request include:

• bot_id
• destination phone number
• messaging_profile_id (for fallback)
• Message type
• Card or carousel content (title, media, suggested actions, etc.)

Key features of the Telnyx RCS API

The demo highlights four core capabilities of the Telnyx RCS API—each demonstrating how rich media, suggested actions, and structured message formats can elevate customer engagement. These examples illustrate how developers can turn simple alerts into interactive, brand-aligned conversations, all within the native messaging experience.

1. Standalone card This first example showcases a vertically oriented standalone card for the Telnyx merch store. It includes:

• A tall product image
• Text description and branding
• Button to "Explore Store" that links to the online shop
• Opt-out action with webhook postback

2. Carousel cards This example builds on the standalone concept by adding a swipeable carousel showcasing multiple products. Each card features:

• Title + description
• Image/media
• Purchase button (opens browser)

This is ideal for e-commerce campaigns and product promotions.

3. Transactional messaging: delivery notifications Here, we explore a delivery update scenario:

• User receives a standalone card: "Your parcel is at the local facility."
• Suggested actions include "Track Package" (opens map) and "Call Driver" (opens dialer)

This highlights how RCS can enable native customer service workflows.

4. Appointment reminders + rescheduling This flow demonstrates a scheduling interaction: a flow for a barber shop:

• Standalone card reminds user of upcoming appointment
• Options to view location or reschedule
• If rescheduling, the app responds with a carousel of time slots
• Once a slot is selected, the system confirms the new time and optionally sends a calendar event button

Developer experience

Every interaction shown in the video is powered by modular, flexible JSON payloads. Developers can:

• Control media layout and orientation
• Attach postback data to every action
• Handle inbound clicks and opt-outs via webhooks

And of course, Telnyx handles fallback to SMS automatically—so no reach is lost if a user doesn’t support RCS.

Get started with Telnyx RCS

The Telnyx RCS API is now available, and we’re actively onboarding partners. To join:

1. Contact us to begin agent and brand setup
2. Receive your configuration (bot_id, webhook URL, fallback logic)
3. Start testing with standalone cards, carousels, or transaction flows using the RCS API: Receiving RCS webhooks, Sending an RCS message doc, Sending an RCS message API