TELUS launches RCS for Business: A new era of customer communication

Data and Voice · May 12, 2025

The way businesses connect with customers is about to undergo its biggest transformation in over a decade. TELUS is proud to announce the official launch of its RCS for Business services, marking a pivotal moment in business communication that will revolutionize how companies engage with their customers.

TELUS is the first national carrier to support RCS for Business on compatible Android and Apple devices in Canada.

The timing is perfect. Recent data shows business messaging is experiencing unprecedented growth, with RCS for Business traffic projected to reach

200 billion messages

by 2029. This surge reflects a fundamental shift in how customers want to interact with businesses – they're seeking richer, more engaging and more immediate communications.

What are RCS and RCS for Business services?

According to

GSMA

, RCS (Rich Communication Services) modernizes traditional SMS messaging by introducing features like group chats, file sharing, and read receipts. RCS for Business is the business-to-consumer (B2C) version of RCS, designed for brands to communicate with customers.

RCS for Business agents communicate with users through messages, events and requests to achieve your business goals. Whether those goals are simple (such as sending delivery notifications) or complex (such as booking a flight), agents use rich cards, media and suggestions to guide users through fluid conversations that satisfy user and agent needs. Find out more about RCS in our

TELUS launches first RCS for Business to the Small Business base

TELUS embraced the power of RCS for Business by launching its first Agent for TELUS business customers with a campaign about small business tech upgrade deals. Leveraging the RCS for Business capabilities such as a verified sender and rich card initial results are looking promising delivering a 2x lift in engagement.

Smartphone screenshots of an RCS for Business campaign
(Android™ operating system on the left and iOS™ on the right, with an information card)

Smartphone screenshots of an RCS for Business campaign (Android¹ operating system on the left and iOS² on the right, with an information card)

Why this matters for your business

Traditional SMS, while reliable, has limitations. Recent studies show that while text messages achieve a

98% open rate

, businesses are missing opportunities for meaningful engagement. Enter RCS for Business, which transforms simple text exchanges into interactive, branded conversations that drive results.

According to recent Harvard Business Review research,

82% of organizations

say better metrics and analytics data, including read receipts, are the most important capabilities of advanced messaging apps. The research also found that 68% of companies expect advanced mobile messaging apps to play a highly important role in online consumer marketing within five years.

The power of rich engagement

Imagine sending your customers not just text, but a complete branded experience. With RCS for Business, every message becomes an opportunity for meaningful interaction. Customers can schedule appointments with a single tap, get directions to your store through an embedded map, or browse product catalogs without leaving their message thread. This isn't just convenient – it's transformative.

RCS for Business introduces several game-changing capabilities:

Verified business profiles: Build instant trust with your company's name, logo and verification badge
Rich media sharing: Send high-quality images, videos, GIFs and PDFs directly in conversations
Interactive elements: Enable immediate actions through:

One-tap calendar invites
Built-in location sharing
Click-to-call functionality
Smart suggested replies

Conversation sessions: Enjoy 24-hour messaging windows where customers can freely engage without additional charges

A unified messaging experience

What sets this launch apart is the unprecedented reach. RCS for Business is now live with the latest operating software on compatible Android and Apple devices on the TELUS network. Businesses can reach virtually every customer with rich, interactive messages. This universal compatibility eliminates the fragmentation that has historically challenged business messaging. Find out more about how to enable RCS for Business on your

Android device

and get the latest software update on

Apple devices

Looking forward

This launch represents more than just a new messaging service – it's a fundamental shift in how businesses can connect with their customers. The combination of verified profiles, rich media capabilities and interactive features opens up new possibilities for customer engagement, service delivery and business growth. Early adopters have reported significant improvements in customer satisfaction and engagement rates, setting new standards for business communication.

Ready to transform your customer communications?

As we enter this new era of business messaging, TELUS Partner Solutions is here to help you leverage these powerful new capabilities. Our partnerships with key aggregators ensure smooth implementation for businesses of all sizes, whether you're in retail, healthcare, banking, or any other industry.

Contact TELUS Partner Solutions

today to learn how you can implement RCS for Business with your messaging partner of choice and start delivering enhanced messaging experiences that drive real results for your business.