The RCS messaging protocol, a more modern alternative to the classic SMS, is not new, and many operators have been integrating it in recent years. However, many people do not know what it is, while others have no interest in using or activating it.
Recently, there has been news regarding RCS within Movistar, since although it has been available on Android since 2020 with this operator, it was this July when iPhone users were able to start using this protocol with Movistar Android users.
Well, some users of the blue operator are receiving notifications about the possibility of using this messaging option on their mobile phones, and this has caused some confusion. Therefore, we are going to explain what RCS is and how you can activate or deactivate it if you are a Movistar user.
RCS, which stands for Rich Communication Services, is nothing more than a (relatively) new messaging protocol that Google, Microsoft, and a large group of international operators, including Telefónica, Orange and Vodafone, have been working on for some time. It aims to replace the more traditional SMS or MMS, allowing users to send text messages enriched with multimedia content, emoticons, gifs, etc. Have you ever used iMessage on an iPhone? It’s basically that, but you can use it with anyone else, regardless of the manufacturer of the phone, and it’s free.
RCS is already implemented in Google’s own messaging app, called Google Messages, and in Samsung’s Messages app. In 2024, Apple surprised everyone by announcing that it would also adopt RCS, reaching out, so to speak, to Android users.
🦋🌹Perla Rivera🌺🦋
@PerlaRiverenha
@movistar_es PLEASE!
Can you tell me how to remove this!?
I don’t have the Movistar app, and I’m not going to install it.
I don’t want to use this service
There is only the option to accept and not to DENY
I’ve read other tweets about how to deny it (settings, messaging, blah blah) and there’s no way. https://t.co/FBc5nJnkK2August 14, 2024 • 10:24
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Against this backdrop, Movistar appears to be sending notifications to certain users informing them about this service. This message, however, has surprised @PerlaRiverenhawho complains to the operator in X that she cannot refuse this invitation. “I don’t have the Movistar app, and I’m not going to install it. I don’t want to use this service,” says the user, stating that she has tried to deactivate RCS in various ways without success.
How to activate or deactivate RCS on your mobile
In response to this customer, Movistar refers to its forum, which explains what this service is and how to activate or deactivate it. Activation is automatic when the mobile phone has a compatible operating system version and has an app (Google or Samsung) that allows the protocol to be used. “When this activation is carried out, when entering the messaging application, an informative welcome message may be displayed,” Movistar indicates, this being the possible reason for the notification that the user has received.
They report that, to deactivate it, you have to go to the app settings (Google or Samsung). These are the steps to follow in each of them:
In Google Messages:
- Open the app
- Click on the three dots above
- Go to Settings > General > Chat Features
- Turn on or off “Enable chat features”
In Samsung Messages:
- Open the app
- Go to Message Settings > Chat Settings
- Turn “Rich Communications Settings” on or off
- Under “Default messaging type” click on “Chat message” if you want to use RCS as a preference
This way, you can decide whether to activate it or not, although deactivating it is not something that will give you many benefits: the service is free, and in case for some reason it is not available, the usual SMS are used without the user having to do anything, so there is not much reason not to have it activated.
