After a launch piloted by Google on Android smartphones, operators are now taking part in the deployment of RCS in France.

Enough to compete with WhatsApp, Messenger and others. AF2M, an association bringing together several French operators, including the four main ones, announced during a seminar held on Wednesday 20 October the commercial launch of the RCS.

This technology is currently only supported by Google, which integrated it into its “Messages” application in 2019. This is concretely a total modernization of the good old SMS, allowing new uses well known to regular users of instant messaging application. Message reading notification, group conversations or even sending messages via WiFi are all new features brought by this technology, compared to classic SMS.

This technology is very widely acclaimed by Google, which has also recently launched an appeal to Apple for the firm to integrate it into its iMessage application, without response for the moment. Bouygues Telecom had also announced an agreement with the Mountain View company concerning this technology.

A benefit for the user and for the business

In addition to the many possibilities offered by this new protocol, the interest also lies in its use by brands. Renan Abgrall, president of AF2M, rightly explains that “as of today, brands are expressing the need to enter into conversation, by SMS, with their customers. Tomorrow, you will have the possibility to send an SMS to your store to find out if they have your size during the sales period; you will be able to order a cake in a bakery by SMS; you will be able to exchange with a delivery company to define exactly the time slot at which you wish to be delivered to your home.”

AF2M is already involved in several solutions linking brands and consumers: Internet+ and SMS+ payment solutions, but also segmented advertising. The RCS has passed the milestone of 700 million users worldwide and in France, 16 million compatible terminals are circulating and the figure could double next year, despite the absence of Apple. The launch announced by the operators is therefore of a more commercial nature than a real technological advance, it remains to be seen how this technology will be promoted by Orange, Free, Bouygues and SFR.

The latter, with the exception of Free, are also testing conversational SMS, precisely allowing better exchanges with businesses and businesses.

Source: AF2M via iGen