Why RCS (and WhatsApp) won't completely kill SMS in South Africa

[Jan]

Why SMS won't die in South Africa

SMS won't die in South Africa as the technology is universally supported and often used as a fallback messaging channel for devices that don't support technologies like Rich Communication Services (RCS).

Google created RCS messaging to offer non-Apple phone users a competitive alternative to iMessage, and it is often described as the next evolution of SMS.

 

[Gordon_R]

Too many 3-letter acronyms. I thought RCS was a dodgy financial services company:

About RCS Personal Financial Services in South Africa | RCS

The RCS Group is a consumer finance business that offers a range of financial service products in association with leading retailers in SA, Namibia and Botswana.

rcs.co.za

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Too many 3-letter acronyms. I thought RCS was a dodgy financial services company: https://rcs.co.za/

well at least it isnt ANC

 

[VC-1]

The historic facts around the SMS (USA known as TEXT Message) clearly will always be a winner, why so

1. Functions across ALL networks straight out of the box (Customer leaving the shop with his/her new phone).
2. Does NOT require an APP to download/install to function.
3. User does not PAY to Receive (Rx) a message, only has a minimum cost to Send (Tx) not using Data.
4. Far more efficient in Rx/Tx function in low data signal areas.

The MMS function failed because users had to setup their phone by adding settings which often did not function properly anyway.

These new RCS/WhatsApp services are just fashion fads like Facebook, twitter etc. of our time if you wish to follow it, your choice Sir/Madam.

We live in times where all of us have a "Digital Footprint" of some size, the secret is to CONTROL the SIZE of that footprint.

 

[Danie_V]

The point is, SMS is very out of date and not at all secure (operators store, and can read every SMS message) or efficient in the modern era. It is only still the fallback because RCS has not yet been accepted as the replacement/new fallback. RCS does have some issues to sort out, certainly, and Apple has not adopted it as a fallback for iMessage. So until it gets fully accepted, yes SMS will be the default, but I would not say forever. There is good reason why so many cellular providers also adopted RCS, as it has the potential to be more universal than iMessage, and it was designed with cellular operators in mind.

 

[LCBXX]

I've started tinkering with using Google's Messages a bit more. Pity that it's easy to miss whether your message will be sent as a Chat vs a Text, when the recipient isn't linked with Messages.

Obviously not Boomer-friendly in that regard.

 

[rvZA]

Yep always said the SMS will be here to stay and it will be going nowhere. Still holds true today. Millenia after Whatsapp, SMS will still be there on our devices.

 

[Danie_V]

I've started tinkering with using Google's Messages a bit more. Pity that it's easy to miss whether your message will be sent as a Chat vs a Text, when the recipient isn't linked with Messages.

Obviously not Boomer-friendly in that regard.

Yep and that was something iMessage got right with their infamous blue and green bubbles...

 

[Ockie]

Between RCS and Telegram I am covered. Most colleagues are not on Telegram but are on RCS. Friends and family is on Telegram and in most cases RCS also.

 

[BCR]

It's wonderful when Voda and MTN (Afrihost mobile) even send you other people's SMSs & spam messages ... so agree SMS will likely never be overrun by WhatsApp etc.