Rich Communication Service (RCS) messaging offers enhanced features like read and delivery receipts, typing indicators, larger file transfers, and larger group chats.
- Send larger files: Send larger file attachments than with MMS, like higher-definition pictures and longer or higher-resolution videos.
- Larger group chats: Up to 100 participants in a group chat, an increase from previous SMS/MMS messaging limit of 20 participants.
- Create flexible group chats: Users can be added to, and easily leave an existing message thread.
- Get delivery and read receipts: See when your messages are delivered and when they are read.
For a better Android RCS messaging experience offering more features and RCS interoperability with more devices, including iPhones, we recommend that you download and use Google Messages on your Android smartphone.
For information on RCS on iPhone click here.
How to Use Advanced Messaging RCS
You can use Advanced Messaging RCS if you:
- Are a Cricket customer with an Android smartphone that supports Advanced Messaging RCS
- Or have an Android smartphone featuring the Google Messages app that has RCS chats enabled and a “Connected” status.
- Have up-to-date software installed on your smartphone
- Do not have a conflicting feature on your account. If you have one of these features, remove them from your account for Advanced Messaging to work:
- SMS or MMS blocks you have added to your account.
- Data blocks you have added to your account.
- You can use RCS outside our network coverage area with Wi-Fi data if Wi-Fi Calling is enabled.
How to Manage Advanced Messaging
You can manage Advanced Messaging, including turning it off, in the Messaging settings menu. In the phone’s messaging app, go to Settings and tap Advanced Messaging to turn Advanced Messaging on or off.
See the Google Messages support page for more information.
IMPORTANT TO KNOW: If you or someone within your group RCS chat are using an Android OS RCS messaging application other than Google Messages (e.g. Samsung Messages, etc.), the following MAY occur:
- Pre-existing RCS group chats will be ‘downgraded’ to MMS group messages, requiring the group message to be setup once again.
- As people reply within the group chat, a separate messaging thread may be generated, resulting in one thread being an RCS and the other being an MMS group.
- Participants may get dropped from a group message thread and will need to be added back to the group.
To resolve the above issues, we recommend all of the Android OS users change to using Google Messages as their default messaging application.
What will happen if I don’t switch to Google Messages?
- More of your messages will be in SMS or MMS format rather than RCS.
- Key RCS features such as typing notifications, delivery and read receipts, larger file sharing and groups won’t be available.
- You may get dropped from a group RCS chat without being notified.
- An attempt to send a group message could fail, and you may need to create a new group in order to continue with the same message participants.
Frequently Asked Questions about Advanced Messaging
Advanced Messaging is only available on select Android smartphones. To enjoy the benefits of Advanced Messaging, you and the person you’re messaging will need Advanced Messaging-capable devices. The ability to share fields up to 100MB, along with group messages with up to 100 participants, will vary depending on the smartphones being used.
For a better Android RCS messaging experience offering more features and RCS interoperability with more devices, including iPhones, we recommend that you download and use Google Messages on your Android smartphone.
