RCS Business Messaging

Introduction

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is the messaging technology behind RCS Business Messaging: a branded, interactive business messaging channel built into the native messaging experience on supported devices and carriers. It brings app-like messaging capabilities to business conversations without requiring the recipient to install a separate app.

With Telgorithm RCS, you can send branded messages from an approved RCS agent, include rich media and interactive actions, receive inbound replies, and track delivery and engagement events such as delivered, user action, and seen receipts.

RCS is especially useful when a conversation needs more context than SMS can comfortably provide: product cards, appointment actions, support flows, promotions with buttons, location sharing, and other high-engagement customer journeys.

How RCS Differs from SMS and MMS

SMS is a universal text channel. It works on virtually every mobile phone, but it is limited to plain text and basic delivery information. MMS extends SMS with media attachments, but it still behaves like a phone-number-based carrier message and does not provide the same branded or interactive experience as RCS.

RCS adds richer capabilities while keeping the conversation inside the recipient's native messaging app.

Core RCS Capabilities

How Telgorithm RCS Works

At a high level, your application sends an RCS message through Telgorithm, Telgorithm performs validation and routing, and the recipient receives the message through their RCS-capable messaging app. Webhooks keep your application updated as the conversation progresses.

For exact request and response schemas, see the RCS Outbound Messages API.

SMS/MMS Fallback

RCS is powerful, but it is not available in every situation. A recipient may be unreachable because their device, carrier, messaging app, operating system, market, or current network conditions do not support an active RCS session. In these cases, if fallback is configured, Telgorithm can continue the interaction over SMS or MMS.

When fallback is triggered, Telgorithm creates a separate SMS or MMS message using the same message SID as the original RCS message. This lets your application correlate both attempts as part of the same customer interaction.

Fallback is not a bypass. If Telgorithm or the provider blocks a message for spam or compliance reasons, fallback is not triggered.

Outbound Message Lifecycle

RCS outbound messages move through a clear lifecycle:

Inbound Replies and User Actions

RCS conversations are two-way. When an end user replies to an RCS agent, Telgorithm can send your application an inbound webhook.

Inbound RCS activity can include:

• Text replies
• Files or media shared by the end user
• Location shares
• Suggested replies and button actions

User actions include both the text shown to the recipient and the postback data configured by your application. This makes it possible to build structured flows without asking the user to type a keyword manually.

Seen Receipts

RCS supports seen receipts in both directions.

When a recipient opens an outbound RCS message, Telgorithm can send an RcsMessageSeen webhook to your application. The outbound message record can also include seenOn when retrieved through the API.

Your application can also send a seen event when an agent or automated system reads an inbound RCS message. This lets the end user receive the familiar visual indication that their message has been seen.

For exact webhook payloads and event subscription details, see the Webhooks Samples.

Billing Categories

RCS billing can vary by market and commercial agreement. In the United States, RCS traffic is commonly grouped into two high-level categories:

• Rich Message: Text-focused RCS messages with suggested replies or supported basic actions. These may be billed in 160-byte UTF-8 segments.
• Rich Media Message: Media attachments, rich cards, carousels, or advanced actions.

Use your Telgorithm pricing agreement as the source of truth for rates, covered destinations, and billable events.

When to Use RCS

Use RCS when the conversation benefits from rich, branded, or interactive experiences:

• Appointment reminders with confirmation buttons
• Customer support flows with suggested replies
• Promotions with cards, media, and calls to action
• Delivery updates with location or link actions
• Product education that benefits from images, video, or carousels

Use SMS or MMS when the primary requirement is universal reach, the content is simple, or the recipient may not be reachable over RCS. For many production workflows, the strongest approach is to use RCS as the primary channel and configure SMS/MMS fallback for reach.

API Reference

This feature article explains how the RCS channel behaves and how to think about it operationally. For endpoint-level details, request fields, response fields, validation rules, and examples, use the API reference:

• RCS Outbound Messages API
• Webhooks Samples