For decades, telcos were the unchallenged custodians of communication. SMS was their undeniable golden goose; universal, reliable and wildly profitable.
Then came the over-the-top (OTT) revolution: WhatsApp, Messenger, Telegram. Riding the same data rails telcos built, these apps ate the messaging pie whole, turning operators into mere connective tissue.
Rich Communication Services (RCS) has re-emerged as the telco comeback strategy, a modern, media-rich evolution of SMS. It is the long-promised upgrade that lets users exchange images, videos, and payments directly from their phone’s native messaging app.
Having onboarded and built two media use cases across news and entertainment, I can confidently say that RCS is the “killer channel” given its ubiquity and seamless handshakes on the network side, with no app installation required. Unfortunately, the revival has not been entirely organic.
Recently, Google has rolled back access to its directly provisioned service, resulting in outages for subscribers in various markets around the world. Interpreted as arm-twisting or not, it has jolted the industry awake. RCS is the foundation of Google’s vision for an open messaging ecosystem that can finally rival iMessage and WhatsApp.
For operators, this moment feels eerily familiar. A decade ago, the GSMA launched Joyn, a collaborative RCS attempt that promised to reclaim the customer relationship. It flopped, bogged down by bureaucracy, inconsistent rollouts, and a lack of user experience vision. OTT players moved faster, understood network effects, and captured users by the millions.
This time, in my opinion, things are different. Android’s scale gives RCS a ready global base.
Google’s muscle ensures cross-device compatibility. And for telcos, playing ball could unlock serious upside from new revenue streams in business messaging, conversational commerce, authentication, and customer care. Imagine a future where your apps live within your messaging inbox.
This is where telcos can reclaim relevance by co-creating value on top of the infrastructure they control. The competitive edge lies in localisation, partnerships, and trust.
Telcos already have the billing relationships, the identity data, and the regulatory credibility. What they need now is agility to turn RCS into a competitive moat.
Of course, Google’s heavy hand in the recent move raises valid concerns. When one player controls the switch, the promise of ‘open standards’ begins to resemble a managed democracy.
But we must be pragmatic. The next frontier of mobile engagement will be shaped by whoever blends reach, reliability, and interactivity, and right now, RCS is that rare bridge between telco-grade infrastructure, an app-like experience, and, for Africa, that all-important mobile money layer that powers commerce.
For telcos, many of whom are changing step into techco, this is about evolution. The game has changed, and for the discerning, the ball is back in their court.