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xxray

macrumors 68040
Jul 27, 2013
3,115
9,412
On US Mobile Warp (Verizon) Network, toggle is there and automatically toggled on. Still showing as SMS when I try to send though.
 
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TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
I can confirm that the RCS options show up for Telekom (Germany), but no messages thread changes to RCS (still SMS).

I wonder how long it takes to update

//EDIT: Seems to work for my main (Telekom) Sim now. Not sure what caused it to become active (tried a few things like toggling RCS off/on, one reboot, re-open Messages and turn off wifi for a data connection). Seems to work reliably though, opening the message composer and entering Android user contacts has the input field switch to RCS almost instantly.

My second Sim (Vodafone, work Sim) does not seem to have RCS yet or it‘s still waiting to be activated. I don‘t use that Sim to text anyways, it‘s purely for emergency calls so doesn‘t matter.

Both are first party Sims (no MVNO or 3rd party resellers).
 
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radioactive

macrumors member
Nov 25, 2006
84
33
I take back my comment about Fraenk/Congstar (Deutsche Telekom MVNOs) not working. After several toggles of the RCS setting, it appears to be enabled and working.

Tapbacks are a bit weird though, I texted a friend in USA and my „Ha Ha“ was displayed on their device as my text quoted with „… ein Lachen hinzugefügt“
 

sevenout

macrumors newbie
Oct 20, 2014
27
6
Orangevale, CA, USA
My boss uses an Android phone on Verizon. I use an iPhone on AT&T. His message entry still shows SMS where some others (not sure of their network) show RCS. I assume Verizon supports RCS. Any idea why his would still be SMS? Is there some kind of toggle in Android to enable RCS or is there some kind of feature on a Verizon account that needs to be enabled?
 

Paddle1

macrumors 603
May 1, 2013
5,149
3,600
My boss uses an Android phone on Verizon. I use an iPhone on AT&T. His message entry still shows SMS where some others (not sure of their network) show RCS. I assume Verizon supports RCS. Any idea why his would still be SMS? Is there some kind of toggle in Android to enable RCS or is there some kind of feature on a Verizon account that needs to be enabled?
Are you sure your boss is using RCS? Being on Android doesn't automatically mean someone is using an RCS enabled messaging app or that they have it turned on.
 
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gwhizkids

macrumors G5
Jun 21, 2013
13,296
21,475
I can confirm that the RCS options show up for Telekom (Germany), but no messages thread changes to RCS (still SMS).

I wonder how long it takes to update

//EDIT: Seems to work for my main (Telekom) Sim now. Not sure what caused it to become active (tried a few things like toggling RCS off/on, one reboot, re-open Messages and turn off wifi for a data connection). Seems to work reliably though, opening the message composer and entering Android user contacts has the input field switch to RCS almost instantly.

My second Sim (Vodafone, work Sim) does not seem to have RCS yet or it‘s still waiting to be activated. I don‘t use that Sim to text anyways, it‘s purely for emergency calls so doesn‘t matter.

Both are first party Sims (no MVNO or 3rd party resellers).
I thought it was you who gave us the answer to this two weeks ago when the major US carriers were enabled: sending a message to someone who is already on RCS on Android. Maybe it was someone else, but that’s what did it for me.
 

Aoligei

macrumors 65816
Jul 16, 2020
1,151
1,379
I only have one device to test. I don’t know if iOS rest settings with SIM card change.

So far I have tested:

1. Rogers and Fido don’t work.

2. Koodo, Public Mobile also do not work.

3. I don’t have Telus or Bell.

RCS message plays well with Google Messages on Pixel. So far indicator, reactions, emojis are all working.
 

TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
I thought it was you who gave us the answer to this two weeks ago when the major US carriers were enabled: sending a message to someone who is already on RCS on Android. Maybe it was someone else, but that’s what did it for me.
I think it‘s enough to open the composer, since that is the presence checker on Apple devices (whether your contact has iMessage etc, it‘s why some of them are grey and then turn blue/green a second or so later).

I‘ve texted a few people on RCS today, smooth sailing.

My only nitpicks are:
- No way to turn of read receipts (it ignores the toggle in settings)
- No way to disable SMS fallback. I know what they try to do here (label both as text messaging and being interchangeable), it‘s just not practical for a lot of people that can now accidentally incur charges with SMS/MMS (especially sent cross border)

Did anyone text how group chats behave on RCS? I‘m new to the Apple group chat game (e.g. only have one tiny family iMessage one) so I‘m eager to know:
- does a RCS group allow more than 32 participants (UP specifies 100 as the minimum)?
- How easy is it to degrade the group to SMS/MMS? One bad connection away or do these group thread downgrades only happen when someone new is added to a group? Imagine how awkward it would be if your phone had no data and you force downgrade everyone to SMS (permanently?)
 

lancastor

macrumors 6502a
Jun 25, 2011
848
346
RCS from Telekom Germany to Telekom Germany is working BUT on the Android device most of the messages sent from my iPhone appears twice.
 

TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
RCS from Telekom Germany to Telekom Germany is working BUT on the Android device most of the messages sent from my iPhone appears twice.
I also rock Telekom.de and do not have these issues (tried with 4 Android contacts, shows up normal for them). Did you try rebooting? That helped me a lot in terms of getting it to actually work.
 
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Paddle1

macrumors 603
May 1, 2013
5,149
3,600
- No way to disable SMS fallback. I know what they try to do here (label both as text messaging and being interchangeable), it‘s just not practical for a lot of people that can now accidentally incur charges with SMS/MMS (especially sent cross border)
SMS fallback isn't the real issue, why do carriers still charge separately for SMS? There are so many free (and better) options.
 

TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
SMS fallback isn't the real issue, why do carriers still charge separately for SMS? There are so many free (and better) options.
It doesn‘t matter what the real issue is, fact is that not everyone has free SMS so Apple should be proactive and have a way to disable downgrades. They do for iMessage, they should also have that for RCS.

I‘ve submitted feedback outlining why it‘s a good idea to have a way to disable SMS fallback (mainly accidental charges), I hope they add a way to disable in a future beta or update. Google Messages also has toggles for turning off SMS downgrades. There is really no reason this shouldn‘t be possible other than Apple taking away choice.
 
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Premium1

macrumors 68000
Jan 26, 2013
1,694
2,348
Wonder if this update will make it into IOS18 before it is released to the public? (RCS Update)

Universal Profile 2.7 was finalized in June (and publicized in July) with “support for more engaging messaging experiences.” This includes:

  • “enabling Replies and Reactions (including Custom Reactions) to sent and received messages”
  • “for the message sender, to Edit, Recall and Delete message that they sent earlier for themselves and the message recipient”
As part of this standards update, RCS will also “Extend Spam Reporting to person to person messaging.”

  • “The Spam Report Message allows a client to report an RCS user as a spammer or as an identifier involved in fraud, sending inappropriate content, or other inappropriate behaviour.”
  • “The Spam Report Messages are conveyed in a spam report system message (SIP MESSAGE) to the application server. They are targeted to the configuration parameter IMSPAM-REPORTING-URI and shall be sent only by RCS clients. The Service Provider application server shall process the Spam Report Messages and take unilateral blocking action.”
 

TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
Wonder if this update will make it into IOS18 before it is released to the public? (RCS Update)

Universal Profile 2.7 was finalized in June (and publicized in July) with “support for more engaging messaging experiences.” This includes:

  • “enabling Replies and Reactions (including Custom Reactions) to sent and received messages”
  • “for the message sender, to Edit, Recall and Delete message that they sent earlier for themselves and the message recipient”
As part of this standards update, RCS will also “Extend Spam Reporting to person to person messaging.”

  • “The Spam Report Message allows a client to report an RCS user as a spammer or as an identifier involved in fraud, sending inappropriate content, or other inappropriate behaviour.”
  • “The Spam Report Messages are conveyed in a spam report system message (SIP MESSAGE) to the application server. They are targeted to the configuration parameter IMSPAM-REPORTING-URI and shall be sent only by RCS clients. The Service Provider application server shall process the Spam Report Messages and take unilateral blocking action.”
No way in hell. Apple implemented UP 2.4 which was, at the time of them starting work on RCS in Messages, already multiple years old (back then we had 2.6 established already).

2.4 is also coincidentally the bare minimum requirement for 5G certification in China mainland. You see where this is going at (someone probably has to force their hand again).

People even report false info about Apples current implementation. They assume the smart-ish reaction parsing is RCS functionality. Change your phones device language to a different one from your contact and it falls apart immediately. None of my contacts reactions come through as actual reactions, they come in as X laughed at Y due to my phone not being set to my mother language.
 
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Premium1

macrumors 68000
Jan 26, 2013
1,694
2,348
No way in hell. Apple implemented UP 2.4 which was, at the time of them starting work on RCS in Messages, already multiple years old (back then we had 2.6 established already).

2.4 is also coincidentally the bare minimum requirement for 5G certification in China mainland. You see where this is going at (someone probably has to force their hand again).

People even report false info about Apples current implementation. They assume the smart-ish reaction parsing is RCS functionality. Change your phones device language to a different one from your contact and it falls apart immediately. None of my contacts reactions come through as actual reactions, they come in as X laughed at Y due to my phone not being set to my mother language.
Fingers crossed (even though like you said it's not looking good). Guess maybe we need the EU (or China since Apple loves bending over backwards for them) to force their hand again.
 

TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
I just wasted my coffee break to open Messages composer panel and going through every single phone number stored in my contacts (that I know own an Android) and I‘m happy to see that 95% of them instantly flip to RCS. The handful of contacts with SMS are either with very old devices or potentially obsolete numbers that are no longer used (ancient contacts).

Sadly, this is not going to work out due to WhatsApp dominance in my country. That being said, I‘m nevertheless slowly phasing WhatsApp out, starting with limited contact access to the App (0 contacts selected) which makes the 2 group chats I need to actively participate in pretty funny to look at.
 

MegaBlue

macrumors 6502
Sep 19, 2022
370
890
Tennessee, United States
Don’t forget your friends have to be using a client on their Android phone that actually supports RCS.

I was surprised to find many of my Android contacts using SMS apps other than Google Messages. Turns out a lot of third party clients just don’t support it.
 

Paddle1

macrumors 603
May 1, 2013
5,149
3,600
It doesn‘t matter what the real issue is, fact is that not everyone has free SMS so Apple should be proactive and have a way to disable downgrades. They do for iMessage, they should also have that for RCS.

I‘ve submitted feedback outlining why it‘s a good idea to have a way to disable SMS fallback (mainly accidental charges), I hope they add a way to disable in a future beta or update. Google Messages also has toggles for turning off SMS downgrades. There is really no reason this shouldn‘t be possible other than Apple taking away choice.
That's the thing, in 2011 when iMessage was introduced charging for SMS was a more common thing in the United States, in 2024 it isn't so they have little motivation to let you turn it off. They should add it though.
 
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TimFL1

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Jul 6, 2017
2,005
2,413
Germany
That's the thing, in 2011 when iMessage was introduced charging for SMS was a more common thing in the United States, in 2024 it isn't so they have little motivation to let you turn it off. They should add it though.
Do you also get free SMS/MMS when you message someone abroad?
 

sevenout

macrumors newbie
Oct 20, 2014
27
6
Orangevale, CA, USA
Are you sure your boss is using RCS? Being on Android doesn't automatically mean someone is using an RCS enabled messaging app or that they have it turned on.
I guess I don't know. I've never used an Android device before so I assumed that RCS was the default. I don't think he's using anything other than the default messaging app (whatever that is). I'll do a little digging and have him check some settings.
 

Premium1

macrumors 68000
Jan 26, 2013
1,694
2,348
Don’t forget your friends have to be using a client on their Android phone that actually supports RCS.

I was surprised to find many of my Android contacts using SMS apps other than Google Messages. Turns out a lot of third party clients just don’t support it.
Samsung messages does which should also help with some of those having it from the start.
 
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