iPhone iOS18 RCS messages

[Stephen_2607686]

Hey everyone, I’ve updated to ios18 on my iPhone 14PM , which means I should be able to rcs across to my android buddies! But I can’t (yet) there is nothing in settings I can see.

what gives? Is it carrier specific? 

[AndrewM_1740060]

RCS is just fine on Smarty. It’s been enabled for a while as far as I can tell. I just sent a picture to my Android phone on Smarty from my iPhone which is on EE.

What’s wrong is that they need to update their iPhone Carrier Settings (A file which loads onto your iPhone when it realises it’s with a particular carrier) to allow the RCS Messaging user interface to be revealed.

[KizzyCatwoman]

If you go to settings, apps, messages, there is no option to use RCS under the text messaging option. What you are describing is MMS which is the old protocol to send photos via text messaging. When I insert the EE SIM card the RCS option appears with other options underneath. I have been using iOS 18 since June as a beta tester and have tried it all out. 

[AndrewM_1740060]

According to this page, you should receive a notification when SMARTY has updated the carrier settings. It would appear there is also a risk that you miss this notification and simply going to Settings->General->About will trigger a check-in for a new version.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/109324 

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

Any updates on this? Three is now supporting RCS

[AudiTrucker]

Surprised Smarty doesn’t as it is part of three network so should be activated also 

[Rebekah_150]

Hey 

we are looking into this currently and doing some test but it is being looked into when i have more details for you I will let you know.

[shortbread]

I'm eagerly anticipating an update of this so my elderly mother can stop inadvertently sending me MMS photos (she forgets about WhatsApp sometimes 😅). She's on iOS, I'm on Android, we're both Smarty. Hopefully they're able to enable support soon!

[MSF]

@shortbread  Given that Smarty has not yet adopted short code texts after all this time, I don't see them taking on RCS any quicker unfortunately.

[shortbread]

That would be a huge disappointment. I appreciate Smarty is cheap but I'd still expect it to support new features eventually - if there's no communication from Smarty regarding this high-value feature within the next couple months I'll simply move myself and my family away from Smarty back to Three or elsewhere.

[MSF]

@shortbread Short code texts have been a cause for complaint for over two years, so I guess you may need to consider a move if RCS is an important feature for you.

As I have said all to frequently, it seems that a network will only take action when the loss of profit exceeds the cost of taking action.

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

Any update on this?

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso After one month?....when nothing has happened for a couple of years?

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

Most of the uk networks have moved to support RCS on iOS very quickly, so yes.

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso ...and most of those networks have adopted short code texts, and yet smarty hasn't - do you see my point?

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

No as they are two very different things, one of which will be used by a lot more people

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso You may have missed my point here. They may be two different things, but neither represent a technological breakthrough and yet this network has not adopted either.

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

But a network representative has stated that they are actively testing RCS. 

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso  While they say that they are actively looking at a number of things, I certainly wouldn't hold my breath! 

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

@Rebekah_150  is there any update on this? It’s been over a month. If it’s not coming imminently I’m going to another network.

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso  Given that short code messaging and Esim have been topics under discussion for over two years to my knowledge and still not adopted, RCS is likely to be a long way down the list I think.

Can you explain please why it is a deal-breaker? I don't fully understand the great advantages.

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

Thanks for saying the same thing over and over. I was replying to a representative of Smarty and I’ll await their response.

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso  Just trying to help manage your expectations, but you prefer rudeness - well done!

The representatives of smarty are here as moderators and not for advice, so you are in for a long wait probably.

End of conversation.

[PaulLLoydJohnso]

You’re not adding anything to the conversation. You’re just repeating the same stuff over and over. It’s not your job to manage my expectations.

[MSF]

@PaulLLoydJohnso  You really can't help yourself being rude, can you?

This is a forum and some of us TRY to help people who pose genuine problem and are looking for help rather than just complaining. I merely highlighted the fact that issues such as RCS do not seem to be a priority for Smarty - I was adding to what the 'representative' had said to try to clarify.

Here's the good part - you are not stuck in a long term contract with Smarty and will be able to leave for a network that offers services that are important for you. Silly me - I guess you knew that already.

I am really done with this now.

Episodes like this often make me wonder why I and some others even bother to try and help on a forum for whingers. The only mitigating factor is that comments from a number of people are positive and appreciative.

[shortbread]

@Rebekah_150is there any update on when Smarty will support RCS natively? It has been a couple months now since your message and Three has supported RCS since December. When can we expect Smarty to do the same? Can we also get some official acknowledgement of RCS, that it's being worked on by Smarty? Any timescales available yet?

Sidenote: I am asking about RCS only and do not need to be reminded about anything to do with shortcodes. I just want an update on Smarty's RCS support. Thank you.

[AndrewP_2753924]

I recently switched from SKY (o2) and was disappointed to see that RCS doesn’t work anymore. I queried this with Smarty via two ‘chats’ and an email only to be told that “3 doesn’t support it” on iPhone. Although I can text to normal phone numbers I can’t reply to ‘short numbers’ (to report and issue on a BT  phone line). Is this normal for Smarter? (iPhone 11 running 18.3)

[SmartyTrousers]

@AndrewP_2753924 Yes, Smarty doesn't support sending messages to SMS short codes (other than the ones mandated by Ofcom for requesting a PAC, etc).

[AndrewP_2753924]

Thanks, if only their support team had told me that on my first call it would have saved me a lot of time

[nathan520]

I’ve tried to enable RCS messaging on my iPhone but when I’ve tried to enable it in settings it’s just said that it’s waiting for activation. It didn’t show anything in my settings on my old phone (iPhone 12) but bought the 16 in december and it’s been showing this since then. Smarty say they support RCS messaging so how has it still not activated after several months?

[WelshPaul]

Smarty does not support RCS messaging. 

[Christo_3190142]

If it wasn’t supported it wouldn’t appear on the settings, eg when I had my VOXI sim installed the RCS option wasn’t there

[WelshPaul · Accepted solution]

SMARTY doesn't have its own iOS profile, they use THREE's iOS profile and that’s why the setting shows. However, THREE’s RCS service doesn’t work with Smarty, and thus it’s not supported.

[Christo_3190142]

Maybe they should get their own iOS profile then so we can have access to RCS? Why wouldn’t they?

[WelshPaul]

Having their own profile doesn’t enable RCS support. Smarty need their own RCS servers or Three need to modify theirs so that they work with MVNOs that use their network to provide a service.

[Christo_3190142]

Well maybe they should do that. Three owns SMARTY as far as I’m aware so it’s in their interest to do so.

[AudiTrucker]

Would like to know how long this takes to implement on IPhones as it’s been 5 days since iOS 18 and almost 7 weeks or more on iOS 18.1 so Cmon Smarty stop pussyfooting around