What are the differences between Landline SMS/MMS, iMessage, and RCS

Landline SMS/MMS (Short Message Service/Multimedia Messaging Service)

You can add SMS and MMS text messaging to any business phone number in the United States and Canada by subscribing to a business text messaging service such as Texty Pro.

Imagine your office with a main line that has extensions for multiple team members. You can text-enable this main phone number—the one listed on the internet, shown on Google, Yelp, and maybe even in the yellow pages.

Landline text messaging is particularly effective because people are more likely to read a text than answer a call. Plus, the sender ID will display your business phone number, making it easily recognizable to the recipient. SMS/MMS services provided by mobile carriers work on nearly any phone, from flip phones to smartphones.

Texting from a landline comes with a host of benefits. The sign-up process is quick and straightforward, and the user experience is top-notch. There's no need for number porting, changes to your telephone service, or additional equipment. This makes it easy to get started without involving your IT department. You can leverage time-saving features like automatic replies, custom templates, text scheduling, a team-shared inbox, team chat options, and much more. Best of all, you can text using your landline number from any device—whether it's a computer, iPhone, iPad, Samsung, or any Android device.

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RCS (Rich Communication Services)

Rich Communication Services (RCS) is a modern text messaging protocol designed to replace traditional SMS and MMS. With RCS, you can send texts, high-resolution photos and videos, links, and more from a mobile phone on a carrier that supports RCS messaging. It also offers delivery and read receipts and typing indicators, bringing features similar to popular apps like WhatsApp and iMessage to standard SMS, making communication more efficient and feature-rich. RCS is currently available on Android devices and iOS devices starting with iOS 18. Currently, business text messaging services don't offer RCS yet, but Texty Pro will add RCS capability as soon as it's ready. Stay tuned!

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iMessage

iMessage, developed by Apple, is a messaging service exclusive to iPhones and other Apple devices. It lets you send messages to fellow Apple users over Wi-Fi or cellular networks. With iMessage, you can send texts, high-resolution photos and videos, documents, links, Tapbacks, text effects, Live Stickers, and more. It also supports delivery & read receipts and typing indicators. One visual difference sets iMessage apart: iMessage texts appear in blue speech bubbles, while SMS/MMS/RCS messages are shown in green bubbles.