RCS on iOS
RCS is the modern version of SMS served over data/wifi. It improves security and allows you to group chat, send pictures/videos/voice notes for free without incurring MMS charges or having to use third-party apps like Facebook or Whatsapp. It has been the standard on Android for many years, but Apple recently launched support for it in iOS 18 last year. Due to the differences in how Apple and Google support RCS, iPhones require that carriers 'handle' the RCS protocol directly. Whereas on Android, Google handles the RCS chats for you. This means that Android users on UK carriers have enjoyed RCS for years, but UK carriers must do some work to support RCS on iOS. Three UK promptly supported RCS on iOS in December 2024. This means Three customers on iOS devices can use and enjoy the benefits of RCS. Smarty has yet to enable support for RCS on iOS, as of 18th February 2025. Someone did say in the forums that Smarty was actively investigating this in December, but we have not had any update since. Other UK carriers have swiftly done the work to enable RCS for iOS users, but there hasn't been an update on this from Smarty yet. I would really like some official acknowledging that this is coming soon, and ideally some realistic timescales to manage expectations. This is quite an important feature for me because I moved my elderly mother over to Smarty to save costs, but she routinely sends me (an Android user) images or videos over MMS which incurs charges. I am giving Smarty another 4-6 weeks to acknowledge and confirm that proper RCS support is coming soon, or I'll be moving my mother to another carrier. I can imagine there's quite a few customers in a similar situation.
Additional 2nd SIMs; Simple Web FIX
Hi SMARTY Team, So I thought to use my spare sim your team gave me when I signed up to start my original plan, thing is to add this sim to my current SMARTY account isn’t a simple or well smart (pardon the pun) process as it seems to activate another physical SIM currently a customer must; - go to the link provided and add a plan via a separate account (like a new customer) except I’m an existing customer so when I see there’s a big pink button that says sign in to activate.. cause it won’t allow me to use an existing email address on the activation page, I’m thinking “Great! I click this and I add my second SIM number when I log in.. ONLY that currently isn’t an option. Yes you do have a pop up on the webpage when logged in to ask to transfer or keep the number and you do have an option for a group plan that then asks to manage a device but only asks to order a sim, not add a physical sim a customer already has. MY SIMPLE & SMARTY FIX edit the pop up; by adding one question.. after the system can tell there’s another unused SIM when the customer is logged in; see you have activated a SIM ending in the numbers #### is this a transfer of your number or an addition to add to your account plans? A) as current (transfer number) B) keep number but ADD the option to add that number to a Group Plan via the Group Plan page (while customer is logged in) as a switch under the ordering of another sim. Here’s the reasoning WHY! NO MORE TEMP SMARTY ACCOUNTS that are secondary to the original account; All customers have ONE account via one email. NO CONFUSION for the customer; the button that says “sign in to activate” now makes sense for those wishing to use a second SIM. NO EXTRA WASTE; SMARTY does not need to send out another SIM to an existing customer who already has a SIM they (like myself) wish to use. SAVES TIME; no need to send an invite or wait on the SIM that would be connected to the group plan. SIMPLE . EFFICIENT . SMART!
