Telstra to switch on RCS messaging from 16 November, Android first

Telstra will begin rolling out RCS messaging on 16 November, upgrading text chats between Android and iPhone users on its network. Android customers are first in line, while iPhone owners get access once Apple releases its December iOS update. CyberShack reported that Telstra will be the first Australian telco to turn on widespread RCS for customers.

The service has a significant restriction: it only functions when the recipient is also a Telstra customer. Carrier-based RCS requires support from both the handset and the network, so coverage is narrow at the outset. A Telstra spokesperson told WhistleOut that the rollout includes Telstra's network brands Belong, Everyday Mobile and ALDI Mobile. Texts to people on Optus or Vodafone may not use RCS.

RCS stands for Rich Communication Services and succeeds SMS and MMS. Rather than using standard SMS channels, messages are carried over the internet, yet they still show up in the handset's default messaging app. Users can expect high-resolution images, read receipts, typing indicators and better group chats, all of which have been absent from iPhone-to-Android conversations. On security, Telstra lists end-to-end encryption and verified business senders, which let users confirm that a message really comes from a legitimate business. There is no charge for RCS, but it draws on data, a point worth remembering when travelling overseas.

Apple has offered RCS support since September 2024, though no Australian telco had enabled it until now. Conversations between iPhone and Android therefore defaulted to SMS or MMS, which pushed many people towards apps such as WhatsApp. Where a telco does not provide RCS, Google delivers its own version through Google Messages, and iMessage covers iOS-to-iOS texting. The other Australian telcos have not yet given an RCS rollout date.