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RCS Messaging

Rich Communication Services support on V2 lines

Sendblue supports RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging on V2 lines. RCS provides enhanced messaging features for Android users, similar to iMessage for iOS.

Messages are delivered via one of three services:

ServiceDescription
iMessageApple’s messaging protocol for iOS/macOS
SMSStandard text messaging fallback
RCSRich messaging for Android devices

When you send a message, Sendblue automatically determines the best delivery method based on the recipient’s device capabilities. The service field in message responses and webhooks indicates which protocol was used.

Query messages by service type using the messages endpoint:

Terminal window
curl "https://api.sendblue.co/api/v2/messages?service=RCS" \
-H "sb-api-key-id: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "sb-api-secret-key: YOUR_API_SECRET"

Inbound and outbound message webhooks include the service field:

{
"message_handle": "abc123",
"content": "Hello",
"from_number": "+19998887777",
"to_number": "+15551234567",
"service": "RCS",
"status": "DELIVERED"
}

RCS messages support:

  • Text messages
  • Media attachments (images, video, audio)
  • Read receipts
  • Typing indicators
  • Delivery confirmations

If RCS delivery fails, messages automatically fall back to SMS (when allow_sms: true). The was_downgraded field indicates if fallback occurred.

RCS is available on V2 infrastructure lines. If you’re still on a V1 line, reach out to [email protected] to upgrade and enable RCS on your account.