Your RCS Agent is the branded sender people see when you text them over RCS: your organization's name, logo, and colors, with a verified checkmark. Before you can send RCS messages, Google and the phone carriers need to approve your agent.
Your customer success manager (CSM) guides you through each step. This article explains what to expect and what to have ready.
Who can get an RCS Agent
We review eligibility for each organization. To get started, your account needs to be:
- Up to date on compliance
- Eligible to send messages
Your CSM can answer any questions about eligibility.
How it works
| Step | What happens | Who |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Talk to your CSM | Your CSM confirms you're ready and sends you the registration form. | You and your CSM |
| 2. Fill out the form | Share your branding, contact details, and how people opt in to your messages. See What you'll need. | You |
| 3. Register your agent | We register your agent with Google. | Mobile Commons |
| 4. Answer Google's email | Google emails your brand contact from rbm-support@google.com to confirm your organization. Reply to it. | You |
| 5. Test your agent (optional) | See your agent on a real phone before launch. See Test your RCS Agent before launch. | You and Mobile Commons |
| 6. Request launch | We record a short demo video of your messages and send your agent to the carriers for review. | Mobile Commons |
| 7. Answer the brand vetting email | Aegis Mobile, the carriers' vetting partner, emails your brand contact from certify@aegismobile.com with a code. Respond within 7 days. | You |
| 8. Go live | Carriers approve your agent, and it shows as Active on the RCS Agent Management page. | Carriers |
Important: Steps 4 and 7 are where most applications stall. Make sure your brand contact watches for both emails, and checks their spam folder.
What you'll need
Have these ready before you fill out the registration form.
Your agent's look
| Item | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Agent name | Up to 40 characters. Usually your organization's name. It can't be changed after verification. |
| Description | Up to 100 characters. Say what people will receive, for example "Updates on our rescue work and ways to help." Don't use a slogan. |
| Logo | 224 x 224 pixels, JPEG, 50 KB or smaller. Phones show it as a rounded square. Use a full background, not a transparent one, so it shows up in dark mode. |
| Banner | 1440 x 448 pixels, JPEG, 200 KB or smaller. Your logo sits on top of part of the banner, so keep important details clear of it. |
| Brand color | A hex code, for example #1A5E8C. It needs enough contrast to read on a white background (at least 4.5 to 1). |
Your contact details
| Item | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Phone, email, and website | Public contact details people can use. The website must start with https://. |
| Privacy policy and terms of service | Public links. Your privacy policy must say you don't sell or share opt-in data. |
| Organization details | Your legal name, address, and EIN. |
| Brand contact | A real person at your organization, with a direct email and mobile number, not a shared inbox. They receive the two verification emails. |
How people opt in
| Item | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Opt-in method | How people sign up, with a link or a screenshot. |
| Sign-up language | Where people opt in, say what they'll receive and how often. Link to your terms and privacy policy. Explain how to get help (HELP) and opt out (STOP), and add "Message and data rates may apply." |
| Replies | The text people get when they opt in, and when they reply HELP or STOP. |
| Sample messages | Real examples of what you'll send, with working links, and about how many messages you'll send each month. |
| Use case | The type of messages you'll send. Your CSM helps you choose, because it can't be changed later. |
How long it takes
It usually takes several weeks. Most of that time is carrier review, which happens on the carriers' schedule. You can help it go faster:
- Send complete details on the first try.
- Answer the Google and Aegis emails quickly.
- Get your logo and banner right before you submit. Changes after verification restart parts of the review.
After your agent is live
- Your agent shows as Active on the RCS Agent Management page, and Send as RCS appears when you create a broadcast.
- Changing your agent name, logo, or banner later needs carrier approval again, which can take weeks.
- Your brand verification needs renewing once a year.