The single reference for all RCS billing rules, character limits, file sizes, and suggestion counts in Mobile Commons.
Billing Tiers
Mobile Commons bills every RCS message at one of two tiers based on its content, not the message type you chose.
Rich
Text-only messages with basic actions. You pay per 160-byte segment.
Qualifies when the message contains only: - Text (up to 3,072 characters) - Suggested Replies - Dial Phone actions - Open URL actions (standard browser, not WebView)
Segment math: ceil(body byte length ÷ 160), minimum 1. A 320-byte message = 2 segments. Multi-byte characters (emoji, accented, CJK) use 2–4 bytes each in UTF-8, increasing the count.
Rich Media
Messages with media or advanced actions. You pay a flat rate per message regardless of size.
Triggers when the message contains any of: - A media attachment (image or video) - A Rich Card or Carousel - A Calendar Event action - A Location action (Show or Request) - An Open URL with WebView mode
Tier by Message Type
| Message Type | Default Tier | Can change to Rich Media? |
|---|---|---|
| Basic | Rich | No. Calendar/Location not available. |
| Enhanced | Rich | Yes, if Calendar, Location, or media added |
| Rich Card | Rich Media | Always Rich Media |
| Carousel | Rich Media | Always Rich Media |
Composer Indicator
The composer shows a live billing label as you type:
| Label | Meaning |
|---|---|
| RCS | 1 Rich segment (≤160 bytes) |
| Multi Segment RCS | Multiple Rich segments (count shown) |
| Enhanced Rich Media | Flat-rate Rich Media |
Follow-Up Billing
When a recipient taps a Suggested Reply, the system sends a follow-up RCS message. You're billed separately for each follow-up. The tier depends on the follow-up's own content:
- Text-only follow-up with basic actions → Rich (per segment)
- Follow-up with media → Rich Media (flat rate)
Broadcasts with reply trees can generate more billed messages than the original recipient count.
Character Limits
| Field | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Basic / Enhanced message body | 3,072 characters |
| Rich Card title | 200 characters |
| Rich Card / Carousel card description | 2,000 characters |
| Suggested Reply response body | 1,000 characters |
| Custom fallback message | 1,000 characters |
The system truncates the body to 3,072 characters after resolving Liquid merge tags.
Suggestion Limits
| Message Type | Max suggestions |
|---|---|
| Basic | 11 |
| Enhanced | 11 |
| Rich Card | 4 (actions + replies combined) |
| Carousel | Varies (see below) |
Carousel Suggestion Limits
| Card Width | Title/Description present? | Max suggestions |
|---|---|---|
| Small | No | 4 |
| Small | Yes | 3 |
| Medium | No | 3 |
| Medium | Yes | 2 |
Suggestion Field Limits
| Field | Maximum |
|---|---|
| Chip display text (all types) | 25 characters |
| Calendar Event title | 100 characters |
| Calendar Event description | 500 characters |
| Location label | 100 characters |
| Phone number | E.164 (+1 followed by 10 digits) |
Segment Limits
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Segment size | 160 UTF-8 bytes |
| Max segments per message | 20 |
| Max message body | 3,072 characters |
File Size Limits (Carrier-Enforced)
Standalone Rich Card
| Media | Max size |
|---|---|
| Image | 2 MB |
| Video | 10 MB |
Carousel Card
| Media | Max size |
|---|---|
| Image | 1 MB |
| Video | 5 MB |
Supported Formats
JPEG, PNG, GIF, MP4
Unsupported Formats
.3gp, .vcf
Carousel Limits
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Min cards | 2 |
| Max cards | 10 |
| Card title | 200 characters (required) |
| Card description | 2,000 characters (optional) |
Nested Reply Limits
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Reply templates per message | 1 |
| Top-level responses per template | 5 |
| Nested replies per response | 5 |
| Max nesting depth | 2 levels |
| Response body | 1,000 characters |
Fallback Limits
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Custom fallback message | 1,000 characters |
| Fallback types | SMS (text) or MMS (with attachment) |