RCS iOS 18

[Thomas_05354]

With the release of iOS 18 RCS is now available on iPhone. I have updated and it is not available on my iPhone. It should be under settings > messages > RCS messaging but it is not there. This is a carrier service so is it just missing my my device or is it not available for iPhones on three Ireland. 

[Frank25]

I also have been trying to activate the rcs on my iPhone but no success.. does three need to enable it or roll out a carrier update?

[DanielBrierton]

It’ll require Three to first add support for RCS on their network (Android just defaults to Google’s own servers if the network doesn’t support RCS), then a carrier settings update will have to be rolled out. Not sure what Three’s plans are. 🤷‍♂️

[Three_Niall]

Hey @Thomas_05354 I've looked into this for you, and Apple have yet to confirm the launch of RCS in Ireland. As the service has not yet been launched outside a select few countries, this is why the RCS feature is not working for you.

[Frank25]

Not to cause an argument but

https://www.irishtech.ie/rcs-three-ireland-launched/

would suggest it’s a network feature and not an apple feature….

would be a strange press release from three 4 years ago about a new service to their android users if it’s only a phone feature 

ios18 user manuals also state if I check the IMS status on my network settings it should read “Voice & SMS & RCS” if rcs is enabled on my carrier and “Voice & SMS” if it does not support it.

mine states “voice & SMS”. i believe the carrier settings is a three issue kind of thing and not an apple thing unless the support for making calls and sms texts is an apple feature too and not related to three which I’m sure three charges me for…

but this is just a wild guess on my uneducated part…

[Thomas_05354]

My IMS Status is Voice and SMS also. This seems to be a Network issue.

[Thomas_05354]

Just an update from a few things I looked into. Apple do not list RCS on their website for wireless networks features, https://support.apple.com/en-gb/109526, I know Verizon Wireless supports RCS in the US but under Verizon on Apples website it lists 

Verizon Wireless®

• 5G?
• eSIM
• FaceTime over Mobile
• LTE
• Personal Hotspotl
• Unlocking?
• Visual Voicemail
• VOLTE
• Wi-Fi Calling
• Wi-Fi Calling on supported iCloud-connected devices

But the Ireland version of Apples website for iOS18 list RCS as a feature, https://www.apple.com/ie/ios/ios-18/

Also the website for Apples support for “What’s the difference between iMessage, RCS and SMS/MMS?” Lists this “

To use RCS, you’ll need iOS 18 and a text-messaging plan from a network provider that supports RCS on iPhone. Contact your wireless network provider for more information.

To turn RCS on or off, go to Settings > Apps > Messages > RCS Messaging.”

so with all this it’s seems it may be a network feature not enabled rather then an iPhone/Apple feature not enabled.

So my question is, will three be enabling RCS for iOS 18 users?.

[Three_Niall]

Hey @Frank25 & @Thomas_05354 , I'll be happy to explain this further for you, I have checked the above article that was linked and this article is specifically for  Android devices, RCS wouldn't be a network feature however it is a piece of technology that was made available on Android devices and then would have been made available for Three customers using Android as the above article states.

I understand this can be disappointing if you are an Apple user, especially as this was announced as part of the iOS 18 features however I have confirmed here with our team that Apple have yet to formally announce their intentions to launch RCS in other countries outside their initial roll-out which included operators in Canada, USA, France, UK, Spain and Germany. As this has yet to be rolled out in Ireland this would be with Apple rather than being a specific network issue we can resolve for you and at this time we wouldn't have a date of when Apple would be rolling out this feature further.

[DanielBrierton]

RCS absolutely is a network feature. From Apple’s support page on RCS:

RCS is a carrier-provided service. When your device connects to your cellular network, it communicates with your carrier and their partners to set up RCS. User identifiers are exchanged for your carrier and their partners to authenticate your device and provide a connection. These identifiers could include but are not limited to your IMEI, IMSI, current IP address, and phone number. Your current IP address might also be shared with other RCS users.

To use RCS, you need iOS 18 and a text-messaging plan from a carrier that supports RCS on iPhone. Contact your wireless carrier for more information.

https://support.apple.com/en-ie/104972

On Android, Google have opted to provide their own servers for RCS Universal Profile when a user’s network doesn’t natively support RCS, bypassing the need for networks to support RCS, however Apple has not opted to this, requiring networks to support RCS Universal Profile before they’ll roll out a carrier bundle update with the necessary info for iOS to configure RCS.

The reason why it’s currently available in a select few countries is purely because those networks already had RCS support, and so just needed the carrier bundle update.

If Three want RCS to work on iOS devices on their network, then they will need to support it before Apple can even consider rolling it out to customers.

From the responses on here, it seems that those providing information within Three are mistaken and/or have no interest in rolling out RCS support for their customers.

Personally, if Three did support RCS now, I’m not actually sure that I’d be looking to switch just yet until Universal Profile adds end-to-end encryption and both Apple and Google adopt that version of Universal Profile, but if Three were to have the infrastructure in place, then at least they’d be ready for when this happens. Would love to be able to drop WhatsApp in the not-too-distant future.

[Three_Niall]

Hey @DanielBrierton I can assure you that the reason that the reason that this has not been rolled out isn't because of a lack of interest or a decision by Three not to implement this feature.  Apple has yet to confirm the launch of RCS in Ireland and the service has not yet been launched outside a select few countries, which included operators in Canada, USA, France, UK, Spain and Germany. As this is a feature that Apple have released on their devices as part of this update unfortunately it won't be available in Ireland until this has been rolled out here.