RCS not enabled on iPhone

[Cornetto]

I got a message from Three announcing that RCS was being launched for iPhones from 9/12/2024.

It's the 10th now, and it's still not enabled on my phone: the RCS option is not present under Settings | Apps | Messages, and the IMS Status only shows Voice & SMS.

Has anyone else got this issue?

I phoned support this morning but the bloke I spoke to didn't know anything about it and even seemed to doubt that the message I'd received from Three was genuine.

[tomb]

iPhone 16 Pro running iOS 18.2 with RCS enabled refuses to send via RCS, insists MMS Messaging need to be enabled to send photos to non-iPhone users. Support looking into it.

[tomb]

Three Support are saying when on data or Wi-Fi if you want to send a photo, RCS needs MMS enabled and you will be charged for it at 65p per image, am I missing something here?

[jr0]

What?! 😯 That doesn't make sense to me...

[tomb]

I know yeah, Three support were having none of it, they insist RCS needs MMS on to send images. Turn off MMS and try send a photo to an non-iPhone number and see what it says.....

[tomb]

Logged a complaint about it with Three Support, then 24 hours later, it starts working...... interesting that.

[tomb]

Now Three Support say RSC image messages are chargeable when off WiFi (on their data network) but free when on WiFi...... hmmmm

[JonathanB]

Hi @tomb,

I've just been thinking on this topic, and wanted to add a couple of extra points, just to fully cover all the relevant info.

I should clarify that on PAYG you could incur charges for using RCS related data, but as long as you have a Data allowance this is definitely covered, and wouldn't be billed as MMS.

Also if you were in a roaming destination which isn't included in one of our Go Roam tiers then you do pay per MB of data used.

That's the only two exceptions I can think of. So I can see the point that this is chargeable usage, but only in a couple of very specific circumstances.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[JonathanB]

Hi @tomb,

Glad to hear the issue has been sorted out now. I've double checked and RCS definitely uses Wi-Fi/Mobile Data, so the only allowance relevant on the account is your plan's data, assuming this isn't Unlimited.

You wouldn't incur MMS charges for an RCS message, so apologies for any confusion on the part of anyone who was assisting you with this.

Thanks,
Jonathan

[jr0]

maybe they don't know what is RCS as it only recently started being supported in the UK...

I just tried between an iphone and an android (and ensure iphone had MMS off and android could not download MMS) and worked pretty fine... just a matter of couple seconds

Could be that whomever you are trying to send RCS doesn't have it enabled?