RCS (Rich Communication Services)
RCS is SMS with branding, richness, and mandatory sender verification. The inbox upgrades; the consent law does not change.
RCS upgrades the default messaging inbox: brands appear as verified senders with logos, messages carry rich cards and carousels, and interactions support suggested replies and payment-class actions. With iOS adopting RCS alongside Android, it is becoming the default rich channel in the US inbox.
Business sending happens through RCS Business Messaging (RBM): brands register an agent through an RBM partner, undergo verification (a vetting process analogous in spirit to 10DLC brand review), and send through approved infrastructure. Verification is the channel's anti-spoofing core — there is no unverified bulk RCS.
Legal posture: regulators and courts treat RCS marketing like text marketing. Express written consent, disclosure at opt-in, revocation handling, and quiet hours all apply. The richer format raises the stakes of getting consent scope right: interactive content is still a marketing message.
Frequently asked questions
Related glossary terms
10DLC (10-Digit Long Code) is the US carrier-mandated framework for sending Application-to-Person SMS from local 10-digit numbers, requiring brand and campaign registration with The Campaign Registry.
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) carries images, GIFs, and up to ~1,600 characters of text. It costs roughly 2-3x SMS per message, runs on the same 10DLC campaigns, and follows identical consent rules.
Express written consent is the TCPA standard for marketing SMS — a clear, conspicuous disclosure with a separate, unchecked affirmative opt-in by the consumer, retained as evidence.