Forum Discussion
iPhone iOS18 RCS messages
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.
I was excited to learn of RCS messaging support on iOS that was released today.
Although I already use RCS Messaging with other android users though my Pixel on Smarty network, my family who have updated to iOS 18 cannot yet use it.
The option to enable it in the iphone message settings is not yet there and lots of chatter on the internet suggest that only EE in the UK support it at the moment.
Has anyone got this working on smarty and know of any update on when this might be available?
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)
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).
Thanks, if only their support team had told me that on my first call it would have saved me a lot of time
Any updates on this? Three is now supporting RCS
Surprised Smarty doesn’t as it is part of three network so should be activated also
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.
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.
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.
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.
MikeXMichaels Forgive me if I'm being dumb here.
With iPhone, when you message someone, you can see when it is delivered, when it is read and when they are typing. A Google search for the meaning of RCS suggested much the same features.
Basically as KizzyCatwoman said, RCS will bring the imessage functionality that you outlined to cross platform messages between iPhone and Android.
At the moment, just a day after iOS 18.0 was released, its only MNOs worldwide that are currently supporting this, and even then, not all MNO's, with MVNO's and sub brands being some months away from supporting this.
MikeXMichaels Forgot to say....this currently works with Smarty.
It has not been enabled in the U.K. for Smarty as yet. I put an WE SIM card in during the beta testing and it works on EE. Just waiting for Smarty to enable it their end. Hopefully it will not be too long. RCS allows you to send pictures and videos to people on iPhones and from iPhones to Android phones. This is not supported via normal text messaging on Smarty as yet. Except via the old Mamas protocol which costs extra money.
RCS has to be supported by mobile networks.
If the option is not currently available, which it isnt for me either, then thats because Smarty does not currently supoort it. As for when or if they will, as this is a community forum for smarty customers who do not work for Smarty, we wont know
RCS is supported by Smarty if you have an android, but it appears not if you have an iPhone. You'd think once you have the infrastructure in place to support a protocol it wouldn't matter what type of device was using it.
I thought RCS needed servers. Google and Samsung have provided these i think, but Apple has left it to the mobile providers to do.
