➡️ Which countries are supported for RCS Business Messaging?
RCS Business Messaging availability is dependent on commercial agreements with the mobile carriers in each specific country. For the most current list of supported countries, please contact your LivePerson account team. As of this publication, countries such as Australia and New Zealand are not yet supported for a commercial launch.
➡️ What is the difference between P2P, P2A, and A2P RCS messaging?
It is important to distinguish between the different modes of communication available on the RCS protocol.
- Peer-to-Peer (P2P): This is the standard, consumer-to-consumer functionality that users can enable in their messaging applications for personal chats with friends and family. It does not involve a verified business.
- Person-to-Application (P2A): This refers to conversations that are initiated by a person to a business application (the agent). This is also known as an inbound or customer-initiated flow. Where customers start the conversation via an entry point like a QR code or a link on a website.
- Application-to-Person (A2P): This refers to conversations that are initiated by a business application to a person. This is also known as an outbound or brand-initiated flow (e.g., proactive notifications). A2P messaging is a capability planned for a future release.
Both P2A and A2P are forms of RCS Business Messaging and require a brand to go through the official carrier verification process to launch a verified agent. This is distinct from the P2P functionality, which does not require such verification.
➡️ What is an RCS agent?
An RCS agent is the official, verified profile for a business on the RCS network. It serves as the brand's digital identity within the consumer's messaging app, displaying the official brand name and logo. This replaces an anonymous phone number, which helps to build customer trust and brand recognition.
➡️ How is RCS messaging on iOS devices supported?
Apple supports the RCS Universal Profile from iOS 18.
➡️ How does the SMS fallback work for RCS?
The SMS fallback is a feature of the RCS deep link entry point. The deep link can be constructed to include a fallback phone number. If a user clicks the link but their device or network cannot establish an RCS session, the user's messaging app will fall back to sending a standard SMS to the designated number.
➡️ Do brands need their own Google account to use RCS?
For the creation and operation of the RCS agent itself, brands do not need a specific Google developer account. LivePerson and our messaging provider manage the technical setup and registration of the agent with Google on the brand's behalf.
However, to enable entry points on Google Search, including Featured Snippets, a brand must have a verified Google Business Profile.
A Google Business Profile is the public listing that appears for a business in Search and Maps, and this profile must be created and managed using a standard Google Account. The brand is responsible for managing its own Business Profile, while LivePerson is responsible for connecting the verified RCS agent to that profile to enable the chat functionality.
➡️ Can I reuse my existing SMS bot for RCS?
It is technically possible to reuse a text-only bot for RCS by adding the RCS skill to it. However, whether this is advisable depends on the desired conversational logic and user experience for each channel. If the bot's behavior is identical across both channels, it can be reused. If a different experience is desired for RCS, a separate bot or distinct logic within the existing bot is recommended.
➡️ What is the difference between an RCS Agent and a LivePerson bot?
The RCS Agent is the brand's official, verified profile on the RCS network, including the brand name and logo that the consumer sees. The LivePerson bot is the automation, built within the Conversational Cloud, that powers the conversation. The bot sends and receives messages through the verified RCS Agent.
➡️ What is carrier verification?
Carrier verification is the mandatory review and approval process conducted by mobile carriers and their partners before an RCS agent can go live. The purpose of this verification is to ensure that the agent is legitimate, compliant with messaging policies (like those from the CTIA), and provides a valuable and trustworthy experience for consumers.
During the verification, reviewers will examine several key areas, including:
- The agent's described use case and sample messages.
- The consumer opt-in process, including the live webpage and consent language.
- The correct functionality of mandatory keywords (e.g., STOP, HELP).
- The overall conversational flow of the agent.
Only after an agent has passed this verification can it be launched to the public on the carriers' networks.
➡️ Are there specific keywords and messages we are required to support for compliance?
Yes. For the US market, all agents must support specific keywords as part of the CTIA guidelines.
- Opt-Out: STOP, QUIT, CANCEL, END, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE.
- Help: HELP.
- Opt-In (Resubscribe): START.
Your brand must define the exact messages that will be sent in response to these keywords. These messages must be submitted for review during the carrier verification process.
➡️ Does an RCS agent send messages from a phone number?
No. Unlike SMS or WhatsApp, RCS messages are sent from a verified Agent Profile. The consumer sees the brand's Display Name and logo in their message thread, not a phone number. This is a core feature of the channel designed to build trust and brand recognition.
➡️ Can our brand choose the Agent ID for our RCS agent?
The "Agent Display Name" is the brand-facing name that consumers see, which you can define (e.g., "LivePerson"). The underlying "Agent ID" is a unique, technical identifier that is system-generated by our provider during the creation process (e.g., liveperson_2vhab1vo_agent). Brands cannot define the format of this technical ID.
➡️ Can I connect multiple RCS agents to a single LivePerson Nexus account?
Yes. A single LivePerson account can be configured to support multiple, distinct RCS agents. Each agent can have its own unique Display Name and Agent ID and can be routed to different skills within your account, allowing you to manage different use cases or brands from one place.
➡️ How long does the RCS onboarding process take?
The entire process can typically take 1-4 weeks to complete. For an estimated timeline specific to your brand's launch, please contact your LivePerson account team.