SMS is the most established and commonly used form of texting since its inception in the early 1990s.
That said, there is now a range of ways for businesses to communicate with their customers digitally through other means such as WhatsApp and, more recently, RCS.
Many businesses have begun combining Rich Communication Service (RCS) and SMS as part of their messaging strategy to cover all bases.
The business messaging element is called RCS Business Messaging (RBM) and looks set to become a major marketing platform for businesses of all sizes, with Mobilesquared projecting a $120.88 billion spend on RBM from 2024 to 2028.
Before we get into the differences between RSC and SMS, let’s first break down RCS.
RCS Messaging: What Is It?
Coined as ‘SMS 2.0’, RCS is a rich messaging platform for mobile operators for Android devices.
It was initially created to offer non-Apple mobile users a competitive alternative to iMessage and has been supported by Google since 2019.
RSC builds upon the foundation of SMS but offers users more modern features, from group chats to read receipts and the ability to share high-resolution video and audio files.
What Is The Difference Between SMS And RCS Messaging?
Although businesses are adopting both SMS and RCS, some key differences need to be addressed.
The difference between SMS and RCS messaging includes:
1. Features
2. Message length
3. Data requirements
4. Settings
5. Price
1. Features
One of the main differences between SMS and RCS messaging is the features they offer.
RCS is a rich and modern messaging service that offers users enhanced features, from typing indicators to read receipts and high-quality images and video, which can result in higher customer engagement.
These features also offer a wealth of potential for businesses to modernise their marketing efforts.
SMS, on the other hand, is more basic overall in terms of the features it offers. That said, it remains a simple, reliable, and efficient way of communicating with your customers and is compatible with all mobile devices.
2. Message Length
A key difference between RCS and SMS is the length of the messages businesses can send.
While SMS is a reliable option for communicating with customers, users are limited to 160 characters.
RCS messages, on the other hand, allow users to send 250,000 characters at once as well as high-quality attachments, offering an interactive messaging experience.
While SMS is designed to simplify communication, RCS is designed to modernise it.
3. Data Requirements
Another difference between RCS and SMS messages is data requirements.
RCS messages can only be sent via an internet connection or through the use of cellular data.
On the other hand, SMS messages are sent and received solely using the cellular network’s infrastructure.
That said, SMS still reigns supreme in providing businesses with better coverage in remote, off-grid areas.
4. Settings
There’s a significant reason why SMS is the universal standard, and that’s convenience.
SMS messaging does not require users to enable certain settings in order to work. Businesses can easily send SMS messages in bulk, provided customers have given their contact details and opted in.
When you pair this with the fact that Mobilesquared has found ‘100% of SMS messages are viewed’, SMS still remains the most reliable way to engage with customers.
RCS, on the other hand, can only allow for seamless communication once settings have been enabled to ensure messages can be sent and received.
5. Price
RCS differs from SMS in that it encourages ongoing communication, which could include multiple messages.
RSC messages often use mobile data, and as the richness of the message increases, the price will also go up. That said, the price of RSC messages can significantly increase when you send too many data-heavy messages.
By contrast, bulk SMS offers transparent pricing that can be simpler for businesses with a limited budget for SMS marketing.
That said, it can be difficult to state whether RCS or SMS is cheaper, as it largely depends on your usage.
RCS Limitations
Although RCS adoption is increasing, there are limitations to be aware of.
Namely, the core RCS protocol is currently no more secure than SMS, as it’s not encrypted by default, and the RSC protocol itself doesn’t recommend any type of end-to-end encryption. That said, Google has already taken steps to implement its own encryption plan.
Another limitation is that spammers are already taking advantage of the noise surrounding RCS.
We at Mobilesquared have been told by a number of mobile operators that have launched RCS that there is no budget available to invest in an RCS firewall, rendering the platform vulnerable to attacks.
Will Apple Adopt RCS?
In short, yes. Following years of resistance, Apple has now announced that it will adopt the RCS messaging standard and it will be available towards the end of 2024.
This marks a major shift for the RCS market, and businesses should invest more in understanding RSC as a protocol as an increasing number of companies adopt it into their business processes.
How We Can Help
If you’re a business looking to invest in your RCS strategy, Mobilesquared’s RSC subscription will help.
We at Mobilesquared project a bright future for RCS, with over 450 mobile operators expected to offer RCS/RBM in the coming years, making it one of the biggest messaging channels.
Our RCS data provides a comprehensive global and national view of RCS and RBM, split out by mobile operator for outbound (A2P) traffic, inbound (P2A) traffic, and conversational traffic, and spend for all traffic types.
A 12 month subscription to our RCS/RBM intelligence subscription costs £4,990 and includes: online access to >2 million searchable datapoints, 5-year forecasts, an extensive market insight report, annual data updates, and access for 10 x user licences.
Buy your subscription or get in touch with a member of our team to learn more.
We are Mobilesquared: mobile engagement specialists delivering the very best independent mobile market intelligence to our clients. We are the established #1 global authority on business messaging and CPaaS, with our data shaping business plans, strategy, and customer engagement modelling, for some of the world’s leading brands, mobile operators, and messaging providers.
To learn more about our services, including the Messageverse, be sure to get in touch via telephone (01182149777) or email (info@mobilesquared.co.uk) to learn more about what we do and discover how we can help your business.
Written by Jemima, for Mobilesquared.