Waiting for Universal RCS

[Connert]

Verizon was scheduled to introduce Universal RCS on their network the first part of 2019. They did implement it on the Pixel 3/XL back in December last year, but haven't moved forward on any other devices. Samsung has been working with Google to be sure their default messaging app is compatible with Universal RCS. Sprint has implemented the feature across their network to any device that is capable from what I've been reading. T-mobile is rolling it out to a few select devices, although they are having some trouble getting it right.

I realize it's going to be a long and slow process getting enough people on the system for it to be a real advantage for a large number of users. Also getting Apple on board would be very helpful, but may never happen. In countries outside the US, I understand WhatsApp is very widely used, to the point that even imessage can't compete. I don't see that happening here though.

I've always considered the Note line to be a work/business class device. Maybe that's just me, but it is (or was) always a step above everything else because of the productivity and added features that come along with having the S Pen. I use my Note 9 all day at work. I use the S Pen several times a day and would rather email from my Note than from my desktop. Texting has become another big part of my work flow. It's a great way to communicate with others throughout our organization without the interruption of a phone call. Having a way to verify your message was sent/received/read would be very useful.

I came to Android from Blackberry and have always missed BBM. Of course, imessage is the only other real option right now in the US, but I don't miss the chat features enough to move from my Note to anything Apple has to offer.

I get by, like most Android users, with standard SMS/MMS for now. I've been looking for alternatives and there's really not much I can do but wait this out with Google and the carriers. I do believe Google has the ability to offer this as an option across all devices and carriers (just like Apple does and Blackberry did) if they truly wanted to.

I've started using Facebook messenger as an alternative with my family, mostly so I know my kids have seen my messages. Also to send a funny video from time to time just to mess with their heads.

As I get to the end of this, I realize I don't really have a point other than to vent my personal frustration with Google for not having resolved this long ago.

I am kinda curious if Sprint or T-mobile users see any advantage at this point.

 

[mustang7757]

Verizon was scheduled to introduce Universal RCS on their network the first part of 2019. They did implement it on the Pixel 3/XL back in December last year, but haven't moved forward on any other devices. Samsung has been working with Google to be sure their default messaging app is compatible with Universal RCS. Sprint has implemented the feature across their network to any device that is capable from what I've been reading. T-mobile is rolling it out to a few select devices, although they are having some trouble getting it right.

I realize it's going to be a long and slow process getting enough people on the system for it to be a real advantage for a large number of users. Also getting Apple on board would be very helpful, but may never happen. In countries outside the US, I understand WhatsApp is very widely used, to the point that even imessage can't compete. I don't see that happening here though.

I've always considered the Note line to be a work/business class device. Maybe that's just me, but it is (or was) always a step above everything else because of the productivity and added features that come along with having the S Pen. I use my Note 9 all day at work. I use the S Pen several times a day and would rather email from my Note than from my desktop. Texting has become another big part of my work flow. It's a great way to communicate with others throughout our organization without the interruption of a phone call. Having a way to verify your message was sent/received/read would be very useful.

I came to Android from Blackberry and have always missed BBM. Of course, imessage is the only other real option right now in the US, but I don't miss the chat features enough to move from my Note to anything Apple has to offer.

I get by, like most Android users, with standard SMS/MMS for now. I've been looking for alternatives and there's really not much I can do but wait this out with Google and the carriers. I do believe Google has the ability to offer this as an option across all devices and carriers (just like Apple does and Blackberry did) if they truly wanted to.

I've started using Facebook messenger as an alternative with my family, mostly so I know my kids have seen my messages. Also to send a funny video from time to time just to mess with their heads.

As I get to the end of this, I realize I don't really have a point other than to vent my personal frustration with Google for not having resolved this long ago.

I am kinda curious if Sprint or T-mobile users see any advantage at this point.

I'm on Tmobile , my s8+/s9+/Note9/S10+ has read receipt and can see other writing messages with people on those same phones and some lg devices.

 

[Mike Dee]

RCS needs carrier support

 

[Connert]

I'm on Tmobile , my s8+/s9+/Note9/S10+ has read receipt and can see other writing messages with people on those same phones and some lg devices.

Do you see this across carriers or just with others on T-mobile?

 

[mustang7757]

Do you see this across carriers or just with others on T-mobile?

From who I did this with were between tmobile to tmobile .

 

[mustang7757]

RCS needs carrier support

True

 

[Connert]

RCS needs carrier support

I agree, but all Google had to do was add SMS to Allo and we would be a lot further along. They also could add the Allo chat feature to the Messages app and we'd be well on our way to a usable alternative.

It doesn't have to be RCS, I'm sure they can come up with a solution, I'm just not sure why they haven't.

 

[mustang7757]

I agree, but all Google had to do was add SMS to Allo and we would be a lot further along. They also could add the Allo chat feature to the Messages app and we'd be well on our way to a usable alternative.

It doesn't have to be RCS, I'm sure they can come up with a solution, I'm just not sure why they haven't.

That's a good question why it's not more available, Google did away with Allo like hangouts. Your Verizon version can it read receipt with other Verizon Samsung devices?

 

[Connert]

Yes, Verizon has RCS, just not universal, so as long as you use Verizon Messages plus you get a limited version. It will not wotk with Samsung messages or Google messages.

 

[tube517]

I agree, but all Google had to do was add SMS to Allo and we would be a lot further along. They also could add the Allo chat feature to the Messages app and we'd be well on our way to a usable alternative.

It doesn't have to be RCS, I'm sure they can come up with a solution, I'm just not sure why they haven't.

They had SMS/MMS and "chat" with Hangouts but it wasn't RCS. They had the idea but did the Google thing and broke it all up and ended the app as we knew it.

RCS has some definite promise in the long term but it's going to take everyone's buy in to get it there.

 

[mustang7757]

They had SMS/MMS and "chat" with Hangouts but it wasn't RCS. They had the idea but did the Google thing and broke it all up and ended the app as we knew it.

RCS has some definite promise in the long term but it's going to take everyone's buy in to get it there.

I thought Google was going do something special with hangouts(

 

[Connert]

I don't understand why Google hasn't built a backend chat function and provided APIs to third party message developers allowing for SMS/MMS/Chat all in one app. Making this a feature of Hangouts but not sharing the ability with other developers is just not what Android is about. It seems this type approach would bypass the carriers all together.

I'm sure there are plenty of technical hurtles but I would think Google has the knowledge and talent to make it happen.

 

[pizza_pablo]

I thought Google was going do something special with hangouts(

Oh, they did something special, all right.

 

[mustang7757]

Oh, they did something special, all right.

Lol...

 

[mustang7757]

I don't understand why Google hasn't built a backend chat function and provided APIs to third party message developers allowing for SMS/MMS/Chat all in one app. Making this a feature of Hangouts but not sharing the ability with other developers is just not what Android is about. It seems this type approach would bypass the carriers all together.

I'm sure there are plenty of technical hurtles but I would think Google has the knowledge and talent to make it happen.

Google needs to do this with their Android message app , get all carriers to support it and be done.

 

[lparsons21]

With the current lack or any real RCS support from the carriers other than Sprint, I can see why it is taking so long. But then just looking at Verizon which only does it on Pixels, I have to wonder why. If it works on Pixels why can’t it work on most other Android phones?

 

[Rukbat]

It can, if they run the latest version of Messages at all times. (The protocol is still changing, month by month.)

Look, it took a few years to get MMS working transparently, and that's just one protocol. RCS is a lot of protocols combined, and it's adding more (DCC, for one - no carrier involved, but probably direct WiFi, not internet, at first). It's going to take a while. I just hope that they don't do what Google did with Allo and Hangouts, and drop it before it gets done. Fully implemented it will be completely cross-carrier, return receipt, other-party-typing, chat, DCC - and that's just the current plans. Keep watching the protocol specs (versions 7 and 8, the latest ones, have chatbot support). We may be seeing new additions next month or the month after.

As for why Google didn't do this, or Google didn't do that, RCS isn't a Google thing, it's a 3GPP and Open Mobile Alliance thing - Google supports it in Android devices. 47 mobile network operators, 11 manufacturers (including Samsung), and 2 system providers (Google and Microsoft) support it. If Google supplies APIs for whatever function (SMS/MMS is going the way of fax machines once RCS is being handled by everyone, and char is already part of RCS), Microsoft will have to also, or they'll look bad. (It's not true - you don't need an API, you can just write code - but if Microsoft didn't support Bluetooth, they'd look bad.)

We're all going to have a bit of patience until all the kinks get fixed and all the additions get added. It took 10 years from the time ETSI proposed SMS to the time it started being used commercially, then a few more years until carriers started accepting it broadly. RCS is going like a Ferrari on fire by comparison.

 

[KupKrazy]

I too am annoyed at how long this has taken. Google played around with so many different messaging solutions and finally they just gave up and decided to push RCS - but even though the carriers have agreed to adopt it universally, it is slow and who knows how long before it gets to where it needs to be. If Google had started to push for RCS a while back further, then maybe we'd be further on now. I am with ATT and I haven't heard peep about it.

I like the RCS route, rather than a specific messaging app, because then you'll be able to use whatever messaging app you would like to as long as it supports RCS.

 

[frederickdawg]

Both myself and the wife have an unlocked note 9 which is used on sprint. The default Samsung messaging app doesnt support RCS. We had to install Google messaging for that option to work between us. However, if we'd purchased sprint branded note 9 devices then RCS would have worked via the default Samsung messaging app.