RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an enhanced messaging channel in Mobile Commons. It lets you send branded, interactive messages (with images, buttons, and carousels) through the native messaging app on supported devices. Recipients who can't receive RCS automatically get an SMS or MMS fallback.
Prerequisites
- Active RCS Agent. Your shortcode needs an active agent. Without one, "Send as RCS" won't appear in the composer.
- Standard Campaign. RCS works with standard campaigns only, not non-UMM passthrough campaigns.
Your RCS Agent
Your agent is the branded identity recipients see. Your org name, logo, and colors appear in their messaging app.
Navigate to RCS Agent Management in the left-hand nav to view your agent's configuration. This page is view-only:
| Field | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Agent Name | Display name in the messaging app |
| Brand Name | Your organization's name |
| Status | Active or Not Active |
| Associated Shortcode | The shortcode linked to this agent |
| Brand Color | Hex color code with swatch |
| Brand Logo | Your org's logo image |
| Phone / Email / Website | Contact info associated with the agent |
| Privacy Policy / Terms of Service | Policy URLs |
The mobile preview on this page shows exactly how your agent appears to recipients, including the verified icon.
If no agent is configured, the page displays "Unlock Advanced Messaging with RCS" with a link to request provisioning from Upland support. The agent must be Active for Send as RCS to appear in the composer.
RCS Capability
Not all devices support RCS. Each phone number has a capability status, visible on the Profile and Phone detail pages:
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Yes | Device supports RCS; messages deliver as RCS |
| No | Device doesn't support RCS; falls back to SMS/MMS |
| Unknown | Not yet determined. The system hasn't checked or got an inconclusive result. |
Capability is tied to the device, not the profile. It can change when subscribers upgrade their phone or messaging app, and is re-checked periodically.
Filtering by capability
Use the Supports RCS filter when building groups or profile filters:
- Navigate to Groups or the Profile Filter builder.
- Add a filter condition.
- Select Supports RCS → choose True, False, or Unknown.
This lets you estimate RCS reach before sending, target RCS-capable subscribers, or identify how many will get the fallback.
Every RCS broadcast includes a fallback message, so all recipients receive something regardless of capability.
Message Types
| Type | Description | Billing tier |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Text + basic actions (Reply, Call, URL). Up to 11 suggestions. | Rich (per segment) |
| Enhanced | Text + all actions, including Calendar and Location. Up to 11 suggestions. | Rich or Rich Media |
| Rich Card | Single media card with title, description, and up to 4 suggestions. | Rich Media (flat rate) |
| Carousel | 2-10 swipeable cards, each with media and shared suggestions. | Rich Media (flat rate) |
Select a message type in the composer using the radio buttons. The system keeps your selection when you save and navigate between steps.
For detailed instructions on each type, see: - Send An Rcs Broadcast for the end-to-end broadcast workflow - Build A Rich Card and Build A Carousel for media message types - Rcs Billing Limits And Specs for the full billing and limits reference
Key Differences from SMS
| SMS | RCS | |
|---|---|---|
| Character limit | 160 | 3,072 |
| Media | MMS only | Inline images, video, cards, carousels |
| Interactivity | None | Suggested actions and replies |
| Branding | Shortcode only | Agent name, logo, colors |
| Fallback | N/A | Required for every broadcast |
Other things to know:
-
Dynamic fields. Liquid merge tags (
{{first_name}}) work in message bodies and Rich Card/Carousel descriptions, but not titles. - No mixed channels. All messages in a broadcast must be RCS. You can't mix SMS and RCS containers.
- Content doesn't transfer. Switching between SMS and RCS clears your composed content.
- Hidden SMS features. Templates, Message Response, and the Attachments icon disappear when you select RCS.
- Originator column. Reports show "Originator" instead of "Shortcode", displaying the SC, 10DLC number, or RCS Agent.