Telstra will start switching on Rich Communication Services from 16 November, the first Australian carrier to put a date on the calendar. In an email to customers, Telstra says RCS will become the default messaging system on compatible phones from that date. Android customers get it first. iPhone owners on Telstra will have to wait until after Apple’s December iOS update.
What RCS actually adds
RCS is the GSMA’s successor to SMS and MMS, and it lives in your phone’s usual messaging app. Messages travel over Wi-Fi or mobile data, which unlocks what SMS never had: high-resolution photos and video, typing indicators, read receipts, proper group chats, and messaging over Wi-Fi. Telstra also lists branded sender verification for businesses.
There’s no extra fee. Telstra says RCS is included on eligible mobile services, but messages use Wi-Fi or your mobile data allowance. Off Wi-Fi, standard data charges may apply, especially for large photos or videos. If the other person’s phone or carrier doesn’t support RCS, the message falls back to SMS or MMS. You can use it while roaming overseas, though roaming data charges may apply.
End-to-end encryption comes with a caveat. Apple and Google have added encrypted RCS using the GSMA’s Universal Profile 3.0 and the IETF’s Messaging Layer Security protocol. On iPhone, that arrived as a beta in iOS 26.5, and chats show a lock icon when both sides’ carriers support it. Telstra lists encryption among its features, but until iPhone support is switched on here, that lock won’t appear for most iPhone-to-Android chats in Australia.
What Telstra is switching on
Telstra’s support page says the carrier RCS rollout “will commence on compatible devices from 16th November 2026 across the Telstra Network,” and that it is enabled by default for consumer, small business and enterprise services. Telstra has separately told iTWire and WhistleOut that Android customers get the service from 16 November, with iPhone customers following after Apple’s December iOS update. It told iTWire the rollout should be finished by the end of 2026, and that iPhone users will need iOS 27 or later.
A Telstra spokesperson told WhistleOut the rollout also covers Telstra-network brands including Belong, Everyday Mobile and ALDI Mobile. Message someone on Optus or Vodafone, and it will drop back to SMS or MMS for now. Android users can already send RCS to other Android phones through Google Messages. iMessage still takes over when you’re texting another Apple device.
Optus and TPG Telecom, which runs Vodafone, have not announced dates. In early October, Optus told EFTM that RCS remained under consideration for its longer-term roadmap. TPG said it was reviewing RCS and building it into its product roadmap.
What it means for iPhone
Apple added RCS to the Messages app in iOS 18, but it only works when your carrier has switched it on. iMessage still comes first between Apple devices, in the familiar blue bubbles. RCS, like SMS, shows up in green.
In iOS 27, RCS chats can include Tapbacks, inline replies, read receipts, typing indicators and high-resolution photos and video. Some iMessage extras still don’t carry over. Telstra notes that some text animations and message effects may not work with carrier RCS, and Tom’s Guide reported in October that there’s still no cross-platform unsend.
Apple’s December update is expected to be iOS 27.3, already in beta, which MacRumors has linked to a since-deleted Telstra note on iPhone support.
How to check it’s on
Update iOS when the December release arrives — Telstra says you’ll need iOS 27 or later. Then go to Settings, then Apps, then Messages, and tap RCS Messaging. Turn it on. If you don’t see the setting, it isn’t available on your service yet. In the same menu you can turn RCS Business Messages, and end-to-end encryption (still marked as a beta), on or off. Apple says activation can take a few hours.
Chats with other iPhones will still go via iMessage. RCS is for when you’re not using iMessage, which usually means you’re messaging an Android phone.
Anthony is the founder of Australian Apple News. He is a long-time Apple user and former editor of Australian Macworld. He has contributed to many technology magazines and newspapers as well as appearing regularly on radio and occasionally on TV.