June 28, 2016

Universal RCS Profile Backed by 57 Mobile Operators and Leading Handset Manufacturers; Service Will Deliver Enhanced Communications Experiences to Customers Globally

Shanghai: The GSMA today announced that AIS, Axiata Group, Beeline, Bell Mobility, China Mobile, China Telecom, China Unicom, Claro Brazil, Claro Colombia, Indosat Ooredoo, M1, Megafon, MTS, Optus, Personal Argentina, Personal Paraguay, Reliance Jio, Rogers Communications, Singtel, StarHub, Telcel Mexico, Tele2, Telefónica, Telkomsel, Telus and T-Mobile US are the latest operators to support a mobile industry initiative for a universal Rich Communications Services (RCS) profile worldwide. These operators are joined by leading handset manufacturers Alcatel, ASUS, General Mobile, HTC, Intex Technologies, Lava International Ltd., LG Electronics, Lenovo/Motorola, Samsung Electronics and ZTE, as well as mobile OS providers Google and Microsoft, who are also committed to bringing universal profile handsets to market. The initiative, which is defining a common, open and universal RCS profile, is now backed by 57 global operators and manufacturers.

“This global initiative aims to provide the mobile industry with a common universal profile that enables mobile operators to deploy an interoperable RCS implementation with a core feature set and configuration,” said Alex Sinclair, Chief Technology Officer, GSMA. “A universal profile will drive the global adoption of RCS services and make it easier for consumers to enjoy rich, consistent and interoperable messaging experiences regardless of device or network.”

A universal RCS profile will greatly enhance existing operator messaging services by providing users with a consistent user experience, global interoperability and a primary, uniform feature set that includes group chat, photo sharing and pre-call messaging. Pre-call messaging is a new addition to the RCS experience that recently launched in a number of markets. The profile will also act as a global platform for operators and partners, helping them to launch differentiated value-added services such as payment services, chatbots and conversational commerce. The profile will work on all supported devices and operating systems and across all operator networks, offering consumers access to innovative features.

The universal RCS profile will reduce cost and time-to-market for OEMs by allowing them to deliver a rich messaging experience with a standard set of protocols worldwide as well as use the same client for both operator customers and open market devices. The profile will also simplify the process for operators who want consistency across devices and for OEMs who are expected to keep up with ever-changing standards. The universal profile will also be supported by a formal GSMA accreditation process.

In addition to the operators announced today, the Universal Profile has already received support from América Móvil, Bharti Airtel Ltd., Deutsche Telekom, Etisalat, Globe Telecom, Google, KPN, Millicom, MTN, Orange, PLAY, Smart Communications, Sprint, Telenor Group, Telia Company, Telstra, TIM, Turkcell, VimpelCom and Vodafone. RCS is currently offered by 48 operators in 35 countries and is available on 156 devices.

GSMA Network 2020 Summit @ Mobile World Congress Shanghai 2016

The GSMA is also hosting the Network 2020 Summit today at Mobile World Congress Shanghai. The programme will include a number of seminars and interactive debates covering topics such as how 5G can create social and economic value and how RCS can be monetised, as well as the journey to an all-IP network.