[Official] Google rolls out RCS messaging widely in the U.S., but Carrier Services update might not be required

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…….

Original story (published on December 10, 2019) follows:

One of the major reasons RCS messaging hasn’t taken off is carriers and device makers that already offer their own messaging solutions on Android devices and don’t want to give up on them.

To bypass this barrier, Google opted to take over the process of deploying RCS Chat services directly to devices/users without the intervention of carriers and device makers, beginning in Europe where carriers have less smartphone market control.

Google has baked RCS messaging services right into its Messages app that now comes pre-installed on all Android smartphones. The search giant hopes to offer a superior Android texting experience compared to what Android users already have on offer.

But what has remained the biggest concern for many Android users looking forward to enjoying the services of RCS messaging is not knowing if and/or when the chat services will arrive.

This ends today following a new update Google has deployed to Carrier Services that seems to enable RCS chat services on some Android phones, including Google Pixels.

The search giant started rolling out RCS messaging support on several T-Mobile smartphones mid last month and promised to continue rolling it out to more devices throughout December.

At the time, devices on T-Mobile were reported to receive RCS chat services, among them Samsung Galaxy Note 10+, Galaxy S10e, Google Pixel 3, OnePlus 7 Pro, and more. But today, a simple update to the Carrier services app to version 32.0.283645144 is all that’s needed.

PSA – Update Carrier Services, you’ll get official RCS instantly!
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AT&T s9+ RCS/Chat Features…No Hack
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Note 10+ Verizon (never used hack)
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You may also need to install the latest version of the Google Messages app in order to get RCS messaging services on your device. Once RCS messaging is enabled, launching the Messages app will be greeted by a prompt to let you know that “Messages just got better”.

While the general consensus is that updating Carrier services app to the latest version is the key to unlocking RCS messaging services on Android phones, it appears that someone didn’t even need the app to get chat services up and running on their unlocked Galaxy S9 unit on T-Mobile.

Update (December 13)

Sanaz Ahari, Senior Director of Product & Design in Google, has confirmed that the broadscale U.S. rollout is really happening.

Hi everyone! RCS is now available to all users in US as of Monday. Make sure to update both Messages and Carrier Services.

(Source)

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