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RCS

RCS (Rich Communication Services) lets you send branded messages — plain text, rich cards, carousels, and suggested actions — from an RCS bot to RCS-capable devices.

The recipient number must be RCS-enabled and in international format, for example +91XXXXXXXXXX. Use the same apikey header as SMS and WhatsApp. See Authentication.

When to use which API

  • RCS templates to create and manage the message layouts your bot will send. RCS templates
  • Send RCS to deliver a named template from a botId to a number. Send RCS
  • RCS webhooks for user replies, button taps, and delivery-style callbacks. RCS webhook

Concepts

  • botId — the RCS agent that sends the message. It must already exist on your account.
  • templateName — the template registered for that bot. Send calls reference the template; they do not inline the full card layout.
  • type — TRANS for transactional traffic, PROMO for promotional traffic.
  • campaignName — optional label for reporting.

Create the template first, then send. Sending a name that is not registered on the bot will fail validation.

Send flow

  1. Create or select a template (RCS templates).
  2. POST to send with number, botId, templateName, and type.
  3. Store messageId from the response.
  4. Handle inbound events on your RCS webhook (user text, suggestion taps, files).

Message lifecycle

Outbound send is accepted when the HTTP response has "error": null. That is not a handset receipt. User replies and action callbacks arrive on your webhook URL as JSON with "channel": "rcs". Return HTTP 2xx quickly and treat deliveries as at-least-once (messageId may repeat).

See Webhooks for how this fits with SMS and WhatsApp events.

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