RCS Business Messaging: branded, rich, verified messages with automatic SMS fallback
RCS (Rich Communication Services) upgrades the native messaging app on Android with your verified brand name, logo, images, carousels and tappable buttons. Talkloo lets you send RCS through the same API and dashboard as your SMS and WhatsApp traffic – and silently falls back to SMS for any handset that cannot receive RCS.
What is RCS Business Messaging?
RCS Business Messaging (RBM) is the business version of Rich Communication Services, the successor to SMS built into Android Messages and, since 2024, supported on iPhone as well. Unlike SMS, an RCS message shows a verified sender name and logo, can include high-resolution images, carousels, suggested replies and action buttons, and reports read receipts. Talkloo provides RCS as a native channel: you send one message, Talkloo checks whether the handset supports RCS, delivers the rich version where it can and a plain SMS everywhere else.
- Verified brand identity (name, logo, colours, verification badge) approved with the carrier ecosystem.
- Rich cards, carousels, images, suggested replies, dial / open-URL / calendar actions.
- Capability lookup and automatic SMS fallback so 100 % of contacts are reachable.
- Same REST endpoint, templates, contact list and webhooks as SMS, WhatsApp and Email.
- Channel type
- Native messaging app (no download)
- Identity
- Verified sender badge
- Media
- Images, video, carousels
- Fallback
- Automatic SMS
- Best for
- Promotions, notifications, 2-way support
Rich messaging without a rich-messaging headache
Talkloo handles agent registration, brand verification, capability checks and fallback so your team only has to design the message.
Verified sender & branding
Talkloo registers your RBM agent and manages brand verification so recipients see your name, logo and a verification badge instead of a short code.
Rich cards & carousels
Send image or video cards with titles, descriptions and up to four action buttons, or scrollable carousels of products, flights or appointments.
Capability check + SMS fallback
Every send starts with a capability lookup. RCS-capable devices get the rich message; everything else receives the SMS variant of the same template.
Two-way conversations
Replies and button taps land in the Talkloo unified inbox or your webhook, where a human agent, Flow Builder journey or AI agent can continue the conversation.
How to launch RCS Business Messaging with Talkloo
Verification takes days, not months, because Talkloo manages the carrier and Google RBM onboarding for you.
- 1
Submit your brand
Provide legal entity details, logo and sample messages. Talkloo creates and submits your RBM agent for verification.
- 2
Design templates
Build rich cards and carousels in the template editor; each template automatically gets an SMS fallback version.
- 3
Send via API or campaign
Call POST /v1/messages with channel "rcs" or launch a campaign from the dashboard. Talkloo checks capability and routes accordingly.
- 4
Measure and iterate
Compare read rates and button taps between RCS and SMS recipients in the same report.
Rich message in, delivery report out
RCS uses the same messages endpoint as every Talkloo channel. Describe the rich card in JSON, supply the SMS fallback text, and the platform does the rest.
POST /v1/messages
{
"channel": "rcs",
"to": "+447700900123",
"content": {
"richCard": {
"title": "Your order has shipped",
"description": "Arriving Thursday. Tap to track.",
"media": "https://cdn.yourbrand.com/box.jpg",
"suggestions": [
{ "type": "openUrl", "text": "Track order", "url": "https://yourbrand.com/t/A-10432" },
{ "type": "reply", "text": "Change address" }
]
}
},
"fallback": { "channel": "sms", "text": "Your order A-10432 shipped. Track: https://yb.co/t/A10432" }
}Where RCS outperforms SMS
Promotions with images
Product launches and offers with hero imagery and a Buy button instead of a shortened link.
Order & delivery updates
Shipment cards with tracking buttons and reschedule replies that post back to your system.
Appointments
Confirm, reschedule or add-to-calendar with a tap; reminders go out on SMS if RCS is unavailable.
Travel & boarding
Boarding passes, gate changes and upgrade offers as rich cards.
Banking alerts
Verified sender badge cuts phishing confusion for transaction alerts and fraud checks.
Conversational support
Suggested replies route customers into AI or live-agent conversations inside the messaging app.
RCS vs SMS vs WhatsApp
The three mobile messaging channels Talkloo runs side by side. Most customers use all three with fallback rules.
| RCS | SMS | WhatsApp Business | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reach | RCS-capable Android + iOS handsets, else SMS fallback | Every mobile phone | Users with WhatsApp installed |
| Sender identity | Verified name, logo, badge | Sender ID / number | Verified business name |
| Media | Images, video, carousels, buttons | Text only (160 chars) | Images, docs, buttons, lists |
| Opt-in rules | Consent required | Consent required | Opt-in + Meta template approval |
| Read receipts | Yes | No | Yes |
| Typical use | Promotions, notifications, support | OTP, alerts, universal reach | Conversational support, notifications |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between RCS and SMS?
SMS is a 160-character text channel with no branding or media. RCS is the next-generation messaging standard that adds verified sender identity, images, carousels, suggested replies, read receipts and typing indicators inside the same native messaging app. Talkloo sends RCS where the handset supports it and SMS everywhere else.
Do iPhones support RCS Business Messaging?
Apple added RCS support to iOS in 2024. Availability of RCS Business Messaging on iPhone depends on the carrier and region, which is why Talkloo performs a per-recipient capability check and falls back to SMS automatically.
Does Talkloo require a separate RCS contract?
No. RCS is a channel on your existing Talkloo account. Talkloo registers and verifies your RBM agent and bills RCS messages alongside SMS, WhatsApp and email on one invoice.
What happens if a recipient cannot receive RCS?
Talkloo detects that during the capability check and sends the SMS fallback text from the same template. You see one delivery report that shows which channel actually delivered.
How long does RCS brand verification take?
Typically one to two weeks depending on the carrier and country. Talkloo prepares and submits the agent, brand assets and sample messages on your behalf.
Can I send RCS through the Talkloo Flow Builder?
Yes. RCS is available as a message node in Flow Builder, and suggested-reply taps can branch the journey just like keyword replies on SMS or button taps on WhatsApp.
Upgrade your SMS to RCS without losing anyone.
Talkloo handles verification, capability checks and fallback. You get richer messages and better read rates on day one.