Telstra to fix green bubble hell in December

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iPhone and Android owners on the Telstra network will soon get a better text messaging experience when contacting each other, with the provider enabling Rich Communication Services (RCS) later this year.

RCS is effectively a fancier version of SMS and MMS. RCS allows users to send higher-quality photos and videos, see read receipts and typing indicators, and emoji reactions.

Apple added RCS in iOS 18, seemingly to make the texting experience between iPhone and Android users better. While it's no par with the functionality in iMessage - and it won't get rid of green bubbles - it solves problems like blurry phones when sent one from platform to the other. 

Telstra is the first Australian mobile provider to announce concrete support for RCS messaging. RCS will launch for Android customers on November 16, and for iOS customers in December. Telstra hasn't specified a firm date for when RCS will become available to iOS users, but noted that the devices will need to download the latest version of iOS 27 to enable it. 

Since Telstra is the only network provider to announce support for RCS so far, the benefits will only work for customers on the Telstra network. A Telstra spokesperson told WhistleOut that this includes customers on Telstra MVNOs, such as Belong, Everyday Mobile, and ALDI Mobile. 

Messages will default back to SMS or MMS if trying to contact a customer on the Optus or Vodafone network. 

Android users texting other Android owners can still send RCS messages when using the Google Messages app. Google's app enables RCS messaging in countries where telcos have yet to launch it.

Alex Choros

Managing Editor + Group Telco Editor | X | Instagram | Threads | LinkedIn

Alex Choros is the Managing Editor of WhistleOut Australia and an award-winning journalist. He's been writing about consumer technology for over a decade and is an expert on the Australian telco sector, to the point where he knows far too many phone and internet plans by heart. In addition to leading the WhistleOut editorial team, Alex is responsible for ruining the office Sonos with his troubled taste in music.

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