Rich Communication Service (RCS) is a type of mobile messaging that allows both brands and consumers to create interactive messages. RCS messages unlock the ability to send messages with larger file sizes and different file types. RCS messages are sent over data (wi-fi) networks rather than cellular networks, allowing mobile messages to power these larger sends.

There are two types of RCS messages:

RCS messaging introduces the ability for businesses to send messages that have more of a 'texting with friends' experience, rather than 1-way marketing communication, for example including multiple images in a message.

One of the largest benefits for a business using RCS is the Verified Sender Agent. The Verified Sender Agent is a business-specific capability that easily identifies your brand directly in the user's messaging app without having to download and add a contact card to their device. As part of the provisioning process, you can set up your sender agent profile including brand logo and brand name which indicates you are a trusted sender from the provisioning agents. Your customers can trust your sender agent without worrying about spam messages or someone impersonating your brand.

If you are adding RCS to an existing mobile program at Listrak, you can maintain the same opt-in and opt-out flows. A contact who opts in to a short code via a keyword, keyphrase, or list subscription campaign they are also eligible to receive messages from the sender agent. Contacts who text STOP to a Sender Agent will be opted out of both the Sender Agent and the Sender Code associated with your mobile program.

RCS features allow your business to provide additional opportunities for engagement with features such as buttons and product carousels. Multi-image carousels display additional properties that can catch the contact's eye and drive them to your website. Email has long since proven that buttons increase click through rate and RCS is proving the same in mobile messaging.

RCS messaging unlocks additional metrics that are sent from the sender agent back to the Listrak Platform. One major metric now available is the Read Rate because RCS messages can send back read receipts. However, read receipts is a setting that is not automatically enabled on most devices, so you may find that the rate is lower than you would expect. For those who do have them enabled, you will now be able to gather insights into how fast messages are read.

RCS (Rich Communication Services) supports branded business identities, richer media, interactive buttons and engagement signals. Rich Messages allow up to 160 characters and interactive elements; Rich Media Messages allow up to 2,000 characters and media. SMS/MMS remain available as separate message formats and as a configured fallback.

The brand identity displayed within an RCS conversation, with a verified and approved sender name, logo, brand information and other profile details. Recipients do not need to download a contact card.

Supported Android devices and iPhones running iOS 18 or later may receive RCS where enabled by the carrier and device settings. Availability and rendering vary by device, market and carrier.

No. The profile banner is not shown on iOS devices while it is fully available for Android users; carousels, button visibility, media crops and GIF animation can differ. Always test rendering and functionality across different devices before launching.

Listrak supports optional SMS/MMS fallback configurations at the individual message level. The fallback copy and assets can be customized; applicable contracted SMS/MMS charges will still apply.

No. Read receipts depend on recipient/device settings; a missing read receipt does not establish that a message was unread.

SMS (text), MMS (multimedia), RCS Rich Message (text plus eligible interactive elements), RCS Rich Media Message (media or rich cards), standalone rich card, carousel of rich cards, suggested replies/actions, and configured SMS/MMS fallback.

No. A plain RCS text message can include supported suggestion chips. A rich card combines a title, description, media and/or card-level actions. A carousel contains multiple vertical rich cards.

No. Up to 10 cards can be supported within a carousel. Use a standalone rich card for a single product or offer. Listrak recommends 3-4 cards within a carousel as best practice.

No, as different devices render videos in different formats. Videos may display as an inline preview or thumbnail. Tapping the preview can open an expanded/full-screen media view in supported carriers and devices however playback, autoplay and presentation may differ by device.

Inbound replies in RCS will be a supported feature in Listrak in December 2026. Inbound replies are messages that a customer sends back to a brand after receiving an RCS message. Unlike traditional one-way marketing SMS, RCS supports more interactive, two-way conversations between brands and consumers. They can be clickable response options that a brand includes in an RCS message where a customer can select an option without typing anything or you can configure a predefined response based on the inbound keyword assigned to it.

Listrak submits the registration on your behalf. You, as your business representative, supply the requested business information, documentation, messaging examples, verification contact, public policy URLs and approved assets.

A completed RCS Sender Agent Provisioning Requirements form and current W-9; public brand and Sender Name; phone/email/website and your business’s Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy URLs; estimated monthly volume; campaign description (maximum 100 characters); sample messages with exact links; hosting region, billing category and use case; authorized direct brand verification contact; legal company details and tax identifier; and final logo, banner and brand color. Website opt-in/disclosure remediation may also be required before submission.

The Sender Name is a public-facing name with a maximum of 40 characters. It can be changed after initial approval through a smaller application and re-provisioning process, if needed.

Listrak generally advises allowing approximately 4–6 weeks for provisioning. Actual timing may vary with the completeness of materials, requested corrections, and external reviews.

Yes. SMS/MMS sending can continue during the sender agent provisioning process without disruption.

Listrak will coordinate activating your sender agent inside of the Listrak platform and assist with functional testing, fallback configuration, opt-out validation and launch readiness. Approval of a sender agent should not be treated as confirmation that a campaign is ready to send. Please coordinate with your assigned Listrak onboarding manager before you begin sending.

Carrier-related program disclosures; every active mobile signup CTA and SMS opt-in location (including popups, checkout, account pages and landing pages); opt-in confirmation and system messages; HELP and STOP behavior; Mobile Terms & Conditions; and Privacy Policy language.

Subscribers who have opted in to your registered short code are eligible to receive RCS messaging, with existing opt-in/opt-out flows maintained. However, the adequacy of your existing mobile opt-in language and use cases must be confirmed by Listrak Mobile Compliance as not all mobile opt-in language is universally sufficient.

Brand/program identification, consent without required purchase disclosures, applicable message frequency, message/data rates, opt-out and help instructions, and accessible Terms and Privacy links must be included in every mobile opt-in location.

Welcome/confirmation of brand/program identification, consent without required purchase disclosures, applicable message frequency, message/data rates, opt-out and help instructions, and STOP acknowledgment and suppression.

Listrak will review your live in-market mobile disclosures against the supplied template for enrollment, marketing/transactional use cases, applicable message frequency, message and data rates disclosures, purchase consent requirements, HELP and STOP instructions, policy links and references to short codes or RCS agents. Your Listrak onboarding manager may request additional updates and/or supporting screenshots or links for verification. An arbitration/class-action waiver sample may also be provided as an optional consideration however it is not mandatory as a RCS approval requirement. Your organization is responsible for approving and publishing its own policies, with guidance from its legal counsel.

Privacy policies updates addresses messaging consent data and, where cart reminders are used, how website activity or tracking technologies support those reminders and that any opt-in data for SMS/MMS/RCS cannot be shared with any third-parties.

No. Applicable consent, opt-out disclosures, content, carrier and quiet-hour obligations must remain relevant.

Up to 10 cards can be supported in a carousel. Listrak recommends approximately 3–4 relevant cards as a best practice and recommends concise titles and one clear CTA per card.

For carousel cards, the supplied guide lists a 40-character hard title limit (target 30–35) and 25-character hard button limit (target 10–15). It recommends 16:9 aspect and 1200 x 675 px dimensions for carousel media and 21:9 aspect and 1200 × 514 px, with a 5% safe area. Please review quick-reference creative specifications guide.

RCS supports GIFS and videos in standalone media messages, rich cards, and carousel cards. Image types supported are .jpg, .jpeg, .png, .gif, .mp4, .m4v, .webm, .mpeg, .mpeg4, H.263, .vcf, and .pdf. Rendering and playback is subject to device and format behavior. Apple devices may show GIFs as static images. Please test and review before launch. Please review quick-reference creative specifications guide.

Rich Message and Rich Media Message are charges billed at usage. Additional fees may include a recurring sender agent fee, an annual certification fee, applicable SMS/MMS fallback charges, and applicable carrier pass-through fees. Deliverability is dependent on recipient handset and operating system support, user settings and consent status, carrier interconnection, and network conditions. Listrak does not warrant the availability, throughput, or delivery of RCS messages and may implement SMS or MMS fallback delivery, where supported. Please contact your Listrak client success manager for additional questions.

A suggested reply sends a predefined message back to the brand. A suggested action prompts the customer's device to perform an action, such as opening a website or dialing a phone number or opening a maps app. A suggested reply collects a customer’s response whereas a suggest action encourages customer actions.

A single structured card containing optional image/GIF/video, title, description and suggested actions or replies. Standalone rich cards work best for one focused offer or when you have one product, offer, event, or message you want customers to focus on.

A collection of 2–10 vertical rich cards, used to compare products, benefits or choices. Carousels allows customers to browse multiple related products, categories, or offers within a single RCS message. Always lead with the strongest card, keep imagery consistent, use one primary CTA per card, and avoid making customers swipe through excessive cards.

Google defines media presentation heights of 112 dp (Short), 168 dp (Medium), and 264 dp (Tall). These are display units, not upload resolutions. Medium is the default height that is used by Listrak because it is the only media height supported by iOS.

In RCS messaging, an image can have the correct dimensions and aspect ratio but still appear cropped because the messaging application controls how the image fits within the rich card. Keep product, logos and legal content inside a safe area and test at large text sizes.

iPhone (Apple Messages) uses a stacked presentation while Android commonly uses horizontal swiping/scrollable cards. Add a subtle visual cue that more cards exist; do not rely on a user discovering off-screen content.

iPhone’s allow for 3 visible lines (about 144 characters) on Apple before truncation and use of ellipses. On Apple devices, RCS prioritizes the message title and buttons over media. Keep the most important benefit first, titles short, and CTAs clear. Google Messages now supports expanding truncated carousel text to a full-screen card, but do not assume identical behavior for iOS devices is readily available.

Each RCS carousel card supports a 40-character carousel title, descriptions up to 2,000 characters, and 25-character button limits, with targets of 10–15 characters.

Apple devices display up to one button directly. If more than two buttons are included, additional actions appear under an “Other” option. Android devices display all buttons.

RCS carousels can be expanded into a full-screen view in Google Messages on Android. Google introduced this feature in 2025 and added an expanded carousel view for truncated content, with a more control, vertical scrolling and horizontal swiping. Apple Messages uses its own RCS carousel presentation. Google's full screen expansion should not be treated as an iOS feature without device testing.

For RCS rich cards and carousels, links should primarily be placed in CTA buttons (suggested actions) rather than embedded directly in the title or description.

RCS messages should be designed to be accessible across devices and messaging applications. Use clear, concise, plain-language text that conveys the offer without relying on an image, descriptive CTA buttons, and high-contrast imagery. Avoid placing essential information exclusively within images, as screen-reader accessibility may be limited. Videos should include captions or accessible alternatives, and GIFs should avoid excessive flashing or motion. For carousels, maintain consistent layouts, keep important content visible, and test messages on both iPhone and Android before launching.

Before launching an RCS campaign, send live test messages to both iPhone and Android devices to validate image rendering, cropping, text visibility, and CTA functionality. Ensure images meet recommended specifications, maintain a minimum 5% safe area, and keep important content centered. For carousels, verify consistency across cards. GIFs and videos should always be tested for proper playback and preview behavior. Review actual device rendering rather than relying solely on platform previews. SMS/MMS fallback messaging should be configured at time of testing.