Airtel Partners with Google, Offering a WhatsApp-like Experience Instead of Regular SMS

Telecom company Airtel has reportedly partnered with tech giant Google to provide Rich Communication Services (RCS) messaging to its users in India. Following this move, Airtel users will be able to use a more advanced and improved messaging service powered by Google’s RCS platform, replacing regular SMS. Here’s what RCS messaging is and the new experience Airtel customers can expect after this partnership with Google.

RCS Messaging

RCS, or Rich Communication Services, is a global messaging standard developed by the GSMA in 2007 to upgrade standard SMS. In a way, it’s a new and improved version of regular SMS. It allows users to send high-quality photos and videos, see typing indicators, receive read receipts, and enjoy enhanced group chat features. It works over mobile data or Wi-Fi. This allows users to experience a WhatsApp-like feel within their phone’s standard messaging app, providing a better and more convenient chatting experience.

Airtel’s Charges

According to a report by The Economic Times, under this partnership, Airtel will charge ₹0.11 per RCS message. Airtel and Google have agreed on an 80:20 revenue-sharing model. This also includes routing all RCS traffic through Airtel’s AI-based spam filter. This is crucial, as there was a possibility that encrypted RCS messages could bypass existing security measures.

Airtel’s new partnership is a significant development, as Airtel has now integrated with Google’s RCS system while maintaining spam control. With Airtel joining this service, all three major telecom companies in India, including Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, now support RCS. This is expected to strengthen India’s business messaging ecosystem by providing customers with the ability to send interactive messages, enhanced media, and verified communications.