US RCS Registration and Launch Process: Steps and What to Expect

Rich Communication Services, or RCS, is a communication protocol developed to replace traditional SMS with a more dynamic messaging experience. 

When a new RCS launch is requested, an RCS Sender Agent must be created as it represents a brand in a customer’s RCS (Rich Communication Services) messaging experience. Check out this page to know more about this product.

In the RBM (Rich Communication Messaging) ecosystem, some countries have specific requirements and regulations for successfully launching an agent, and the United States is one of these markets.

Applies To

• Rich Communication Services
• Messaging

Step by Step Instructions

1. Log in to the Vonage Dashboard

Go to “RCS Agent Builder” –> “Build a new agent”. 

If you created agents in the past, those will be displayed there as well (see below capture).

2. Submit an agent registration request (Steps 1 - 4)

An agent creation request will be sent to Vonage once you complete all fields in steps 1 to 4 and click either “Save progress & exit” or “Save & continue” in step 4.

1. Test Messages

To test your RCS agent with US numbers, follow the below steps:

1. Check RCS Readiness: Use this guide to confirm your device's number is RCS enabled.
2. Submit US Number: Provide the US testing numbers in Step 4 of the Vonage Dashboard.
3. Wait for Whitelisting: Vonage will confirm the number's approval (whitelisting) via the "Agent Registration Confirmation" email thread.
4. Accept Tester Invitation: After whitelisting and readiness, your device will receive an RCS invitation like the below that must be accepted.
5. Start Testing: Once the invitation is accepted, you can send and receive RCS messages from your agent.

To note: Testing the agent is essential, as this is the process you will follow to generate the preview video required for the agent launch. Please note that, at this stage, testing is supported on devices compatible with all U.S. carriers except T-Mobile and AT&T.

2. Agent registration request confirmation

The below email will be sent to the address associated with the Vonage account that completed steps 1 to 4 in the dashboard, confirming that the agent creation request has been received.

3. Submit an agent launch request (Steps 5 - 8)

Once testing is complete, you will have to go through steps 5 to 8. Please check the US requirements section at the end of this document to make sure the information submitted is compliant with US carriers requirements. Please note on step 5 you’ll need to provide an authorized representative’s contact information; as detailed later in this document, they will receive emails that require action & responses. 

Once all the information is entered, click on “Finalize & submit” in step 8 to send the agent launch request to Vonage.

1. Agent launch request confirmation

The below email will be sent to the address associated with the Vonage account that completed steps 5 to 8 in the dashboard, acknowledging that the agent launch request has been received by Vonage.

2. Fill in Google form

After initiating your launch request you will be asked to fill this Google form, which asks for the agent specific details. Vonage will send this form to you when it’s applicable. 

Once this form is submitted, the Vonage team will review the information and submit the agent launch request to the carrier if all requirements are met, if not they will reach out for clarification or additional information. 

To note: Please make sure the submitted legal name and registered business address matches the Tax ID provided, as this is a requirement to initiate the vetting process.

3. Aegis Vetting

An email will be sent by Aegis from certify@aegismobile.com to the authorized representative that was provided in the dashboard” This email will contain a PIN, which the representative must enter using the instructions provided in the email.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sample: 

From: Aegis Mobile certify@aegismobile.com

Subject: Action Required: Verify your Brand Registration for [Your Company Name]

Hello [Representative Name],

You are receiving this email because a request has been submitted to register [Your Company Name] for messaging services. To complete the identity verification process, please follow the instructions below.

Your Verification PIN: # 621218

Instructions:

1. Click the button below to visit the Aegis Verification portal.
2. Enter your First Name, Last Name, and Job Title.
3. Enter the 6-digit PIN provided above.
4. Click Complete to submit your verification.

[ VERIFY BRAND NOW ] (Link to: https://aegiscertify.com/...)

Important Notes:

• This PIN is valid for 7 days from the time of this email.
• If this action is not completed, your brand registration will remain in an "Incomplete" status and you will be unable to send messages.
• If you did not authorize this registration, please contact your service provider immediately.

Thank you,

Aegis Mobile Verification Team

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 

To note: This PIN has an expiration time of 7 days, so please ensure you verify within this timeframe. 

4. Provide Google consent

Google will send an email from rbm-support@google.com to the authorized representative that was provided in the dashboard requesting to authorize Vonage to launch an agent on your behalf.  The authorization is required in order to move forward. 

5. Vonage Submit Request to Carriers

Once Vonage receives confirmation of vetting, Operations will submit the request to carriers, including:

Note: For this step the video with the auto responses is needed and within the video the Agent should demonstrate the responsive functionality of the keywords - e.g. START, STOP, HELP etc. (Guide)

6. Agent launch confirmation

Once the agent has been launched across all US carriers, the brand representative will receive a confirmation email from Vonage indicating that the agent is live on all requested carriers. 

4. Start using your RCS agent

You are now ready to start using RCS! You can refer to this guide to help you get started. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Aegis and what is its role in RBM messaging?

  • Aegis acts as a Verification Authority in the RCS messaging ecosystem. It provides services that help with 
    • Verify an RCS agent or chatbot’s identity so it’s allowed to use a brand name and logo in RCS messages.
    • Ensure compliance with carrier requirements and industry standards.
    • Support the submission and verification of RCS chatbot information via a portal or API.
  • This verification step is often required by carriers before an RCS agent can be activated for business messaging in certain regions, such as the U.S., where additional compliance and identity checks are mandated.

• How long does it take to launch an agent in the United States?

  • In the US specifically, it can take up to 3 months to launch an agent.

• How can I keep track of my agent launch status?

  • There are no real time updates between Vonage and the carriers. This will be built in the coming months. 

• Why am I seeing the carrier launch status in “Pending” if Vonage told me that this carrier is launched?

  • For certain countries, agents may remain in a “Pending” state on the portal indefinitely due to lack of real-time updates from some carriers. You will continue to receive updates via email from the Vonage team.

Related Pages 

• Understanding RCS Messaging
• What is RCS/RBM Agent
• RCS Agent Builder Set Up
• RCS Best Practices
• Is my device RCS enabled?
• Troubleshooting & FAQs