The technology RCS (Rich Communication Services), which functions as an evolution of traditional SMS, has been available to Android users for several years. Swedish companies have been able to send extended messages via the technology since 2022, but its usability has been limited until now due to a lack of support for iOS.
After Apple previously opened up for RCS in its systems, Tele2 now announces that they, as the first Swedish operator, have activated full support for iOS users. According to the operator, this means that the channel now essentially reaches all Swedes who have a smartphone manufactured in the last seven to eight years.
Verification and interaction in focus
For e-commerce businesses, RCS involves several technical differences compared to regular SMS, which are assessed to be able to affect how customer communication is handled in the future.
A central function is the possibility of verified senders. Messages can display the e-commerce business's name, logo and a specific verification marking, unlike today's text-based sender names. This aims to increase transparency and reduce the risk of phishing and fraud.
In addition, the format supports more advanced content and interaction directly in the mobile's built-in messaging app. Companies can of course send images and videos, but RCS should offer much more than that:
Buttons and answer options make it possible to perform simpler tasks directly in the message. The recipient can, for example, confirm, reschedule or follow a delivery without opening a separate app, writes Tele2.
Standardization in the Swedish market
Tele2's activation of the function means that RCS is taking the step from being a fragmented solution to a broad communication channel. Although Tele2 is the first to offer iOS support in Sweden, the other major operators (Telia, Telenor and Tre) already offer RCS for corporate customers towards Android. It is therefore very likely that the remaining operators will roll out corresponding iOS support shortly.
When all networks have implemented the technology, RCS is expected to establish itself as an industry standard for commercial customer communication in Sweden.