Last updated June 2026. Carrier and version status change quarterly.
A maintained reference for which carriers, devices, and platforms support RCS, United States focus, with global context.
Next scheduled review: September 2026 (carrier and version status change quarterly). This is a living document, always check the “last updated” date and verify current status with the primary source before citing.
How to use this tracker
This document answers, in one place, the most common factual RCS questions: which carriers support RCS, which devices and operating systems support it, what the encryption status is, and where RCS is available internationally. It is built to be a citable reference and to be maintained on a fixed schedule.
Scope
- Primary focus: United States carriers, devices, and platforms (SimplyRCS is US-focused).
- Secondary: device/OS support and international context for completeness.
- Two layers are tracked separately throughout: consumer (person-to-person) RCS and business (application-to-person) RCS, because their availability differs.
Method
Status is taken from primary sources where possible: carrier support pages and notices, GSMA standards announcements, Google and Apple documentation, and device-manufacturer notices. Each table and claim is dated and attributed in the Sources section. Items that could not be confirmed from a primary source are labeled “verify.”
At a glance (United States, June 2026)
- All major US carriers support RCS. AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, and UScellular support RCS, as do many prepaid/MVNO brands. Every major US carrier had added RCS by the end of 2024.
- Android RCS is consolidating onto Google Messages. US carriers have standardized on Google’s Jibe backend and the Google Messages app. Verizon ended Samsung Messages RCS in January 2025; AT&T is retiring its Advanced Messaging RCS in July 2026; Samsung is discontinuing the Samsung Messages app in July 2026.
- iPhone supports RCS since iOS 18.1 (2024). iOS 26.5 (May 2026) added default cross-platform end-to-end encryption (beta) for personal chats; the three major US carriers are on Apple’s supporting-carrier list.
- Encryption differs by message type. Personal (P2P) RCS is end-to-end encrypted (Universal Profile 3.0 via MLS). Business (A2P/RBM) RCS is encrypted in transit (TLS) and platform-processed, not end-to-end encrypted.
- RCS is broadly supported by devices. RCS works via Google Messages across 500+ Android device manufacturers and on iPhone with iOS 18 and later (per AT&T/Google documentation).
US carrier support
| Carrier | RCS | Android client | Encrypted RCS (iPhone) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-Mobile | Yes | Google Messages | Yes | First US carrier to launch RCS; Metro and other sub-brands also supported. |
| AT&T | Yes | Google Messages | Yes | Advanced Messaging RCS retiring July 2026; on Google’s Jibe backend since 2023. |
| Verizon | Yes | Google Messages | Yes | Ended Samsung Messages RCS Jan 6, 2025; promotes Google Messages. |
| UScellular | Yes | Google Messages | Verify | Supports RCS; applies A2P carrier surcharges. iPhone-encryption status not confirmed. |
“Encrypted RCS (iPhone)” = listed by Apple as supporting the cross-platform end-to-end encryption enabled in iOS 26.5 (May 2026) for personal chats. Business RCS is not end-to-end encrypted regardless of carrier.
US prepaid & MVNO support
Many prepaid and Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO) brands support RCS, typically via Google Messages on Android. Support generally follows the host network. The list below reflects commonly reported support as of 2026; verify a specific brand before relying on it.
| Brand | Host network | RCS |
|---|---|---|
| Cricket Wireless | AT&T | Yes |
| Metro by T-Mobile | T-Mobile | Yes |
| Visible | Verizon | Yes |
| Xfinity Mobile | Verizon | Yes |
| Spectrum Mobile | Verizon | Yes |
| Boost Mobile | Multiple | Yes |
| Google Fi | T-Mobile / US Cellular | Yes |
| Consumer Cellular | AT&T / T-Mobile | Yes |
| Straight Talk / TracFone | Multiple | Yes |
Note: prepaid/MVNO RCS support has expanded steadily; a few smaller regional operators may still be catching up. Source attributions are in the Sources section.
"RCS not supported by carrier", what the message actually means
If Google Messages shows RCS not supported by carrier, chat features unavailable, or leaves the setting stuck on Setting up..., the carrier is usually not the reason. Every major US network above carries RCS. Nine times out of ten the block is on the handset or the line, not on the network.
Work through these in order.
| What to check | Why it produces this message |
|---|---|
| Are you on Google Messages? | Since AT&T retired Advanced Messaging and Samsung discontinued Samsung Messages in July 2026, Google Messages is the only Android RCS client on US networks. A legacy app reports no carrier support because it no longer has any. |
| Is the line an eSIM or a secondary SIM? | RCS registers against one SIM. On a dual-SIM phone the setting follows the default data SIM, so the other line reads as unsupported. |
| Is the number ported or newly activated? | Registration runs after the port completes and can take up to 24 hours. During that window the setting genuinely reports unavailable. |
| Is it an MVNO or prepaid brand? | Support usually follows the host network, but a few smaller regional operators are still catching up. Check the prepaid table above. |
| Is the device rooted, or is it a work profile? | Rooted devices and some managed enterprise profiles are refused at registration by design. |
| Are you on Wi-Fi only with no data? | RCS registration needs a data connection at least once. Wi-Fi calling is not a substitute. |
| Is it an iPhone on iOS 17 or earlier? | Apple added RCS in iOS 18. Before that the phone has no RCS to enable, which some carriers surface as unsupported. |
The usual fix is to open Google Messages, go to Settings, RCS chats, turn the toggle off and back on, and let the number re-verify. If it is still stuck after a day, clearing the Messages app cache and re-registering resolves most of the rest.
What this means if you are the sender, not the recipient
For a business, this is the case for never depending on RCS alone. A share of your list will always be mid-port, on an old client, on a rooted handset, or on a device that simply cannot register, and none of that is visible to you before you send.
The answer is fallback, not exclusion. A message sent through SimplyRCS goes out as RCS where the handset is capable and drops to SMS or MMS automatically where it is not, so the "not supported by carrier" case is a delivery detail rather than a lost customer. See RCS fallback to SMS for how that decision is made per message.
Android RCS client consolidation, timeline
The most important ecosystem trend in the US: Android RCS is moving off carrier-specific and manufacturer apps onto Google Messages (backed by Google’s Jibe platform).
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2021 | AT&T makes Google Messages the default Android messaging app. |
| 2023 | AT&T migrates its RCS backend to Google’s Jibe platform. |
| Jan 6, 2025 | Verizon ends RCS support in the Samsung Messages app; directs users to Google Messages. |
| July 2026 | AT&T retires its Advanced Messaging RCS, RCS then works on Android only via Google Messages. |
| July 2026 | Samsung discontinues the Samsung Messages app (Android 11 or lower unaffected); users move to Google Messages. |
Device & operating-system support
Android
- RCS is delivered via Google Messages and is supported across 500+ Android device manufacturers (per AT&T/Google documentation).
- Set Google Messages as the default messaging app and enable “RCS chats / chat features” for the most reliable experience.
- Samsung devices are RCS-capable but route RCS through Google Messages; the Samsung Messages app is being discontinued in July 2026 (devices on Android 11 or lower are not affected by that end-of-service).
- Google Pixel devices support RCS via Google Messages by default.
iPhone (iOS)
- RCS is supported on iPhone since iOS 18.1 (released late 2024); it is carrier-dependent and has been expanding by country.
- iOS 26.5 (May 11, 2026) enabled default cross-platform end-to-end encryption (beta) for personal RCS chats, built on GSMA Universal Profile 3.0; AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon are on Apple’s supporting-carrier list.
- Older iPhones that cannot run iOS 18.1 do not support RCS.
Universal Profile version timeline
The GSMA Universal Profile is the specification that keeps RCS interoperable across carriers and devices. New versions add capabilities, but device and carrier rollout of each version lags the spec.
| Version | Finalized | Headline additions | Rollout status (June 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|
| UP 2.x | 2016+ (baseline) | Core interoperable RCS feature set (media, receipts, typing, groups) | Widely deployed |
| UP 3.0 | March 2025 | End-to-end encryption for personal chats via MLS protocol | Rolling out; default cross-platform E2EE in iOS 26.5 (beta) |
| UP 4.0 | March 26, 2026 | Messaging-Initiated Video Calls (MIVC); rich-text formatting; streaming video in rich cards | Spec finalized; device/carrier rollout pending |
Important: UP 4.0 features are finalized in the standard but not yet widely available on devices, treat them as coming, not present.
Encryption status by message type
| Message type | Encryption | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal (P2P) RCS | End-to-end encrypted | Via Universal Profile 3.0 (MLS). Default cross-platform E2EE in iOS 26.5 (beta), carrier-dependent. |
| Business (A2P / RBM) RCS | Encrypted in transit (TLS) | Platform-processed for delivery, analytics, and fallback, NOT end-to-end encrypted. Treat content accordingly. |
International context
SimplyRCS is US-focused, but the global picture matters for completeness and for any cross-border questions.
Consumer RCS
- Google has rolled out consumer RCS via Google Messages in most countries, so person-to-person RCS is close to globally available where there is a compatible device and data connection.
Business RCS
- Available in a growing subset of countries, dependent on carrier support and your provider’s reach. As one concrete 2026 reference point, AWS End User Messaging RCS for Business reached 22 countries (the US, Canada, and 20 others across Europe and Latin America plus Singapore).
- Strong business-RCS markets include the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico, and India. India and the wider Asia-Pacific region lead in RCS business-messaging adoption.
Canada (major carriers)
| Carrier | RCS |
|---|---|
| Bell | Yes |
| Rogers | Yes |
| Telus | Yes |
Plus their sub-brands (e.g., Fido, Koodo, Virgin, Videotron) on both Android and iPhone.
Methodology & sources
Primary and reputable secondary sources used for this tracker, with dates. Re-verify against the primary source before citing any item.
- AT&T support, Advanced Messaging RCS retiring July 2026; RCS via Google Messages; Jibe backend since 2023; Google Messages default since 2021 (att.com support pages; PhoneArena, 2026).
- Samsung, Samsung Messages app discontinued July 2026; Android 11 or lower unaffected; switch to Google Messages (samsung.com End of Service notice, 2026).
- Verizon, ended Samsung Messages RCS Jan 6, 2025; promotes Google Messages (Samsung Community notices; Android Authority, 2025).
- US carrier support overview, AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, UScellular support RCS; many MVNOs too (OneSignal; Android Authority; Vonage support; Dotgo, 2025-2026).
- Apple, RCS since iOS 18.1 (2024); iOS 26.5 (May 11, 2026) default cross-platform E2EE (beta); AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon on supporting list (Apple; Cult of Mac, 2026).
- Device breadth, RCS via Google Messages across 500+ Android manufacturers and iPhone iOS 18+ (AT&T/Google documentation, 2026).
- GSMA Universal Profile, 3.0 (E2EE via MLS, March 2025); 4.0 finalized March 26, 2026 (MIVC, rich text, streaming video) (GSMA; MessageFlow, 2026).
- International business reach, AWS End User Messaging RCS for Business at 22 countries (AWS, May 2026); strong markets and India/APAC lead (Plusmo/MEF; Sinch, 2025-2026).
- Canada, Bell, Rogers, Telus and sub-brands support RCS (OneSignal; Vonage support, 2025-2026).
Change log
| Date | Change | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 9, 2026 | Initial version compiled. | - |
| Aug 19, 2026 | Added the "RCS not supported by carrier" troubleshooting section. No carrier data changed. | - |