The document discusses the challenges and opportunities presented by Rich Communication Services (RCS) in the context of Over-The-Top (OTT) solutions, highlighting the loss of revenue for operators as users shift to third-party apps for messaging and calls. It outlines the requirements for launching RCS, such as having an IMS core network and certified devices, and presents several handset models that support RCS functionality. The document emphasizes that RCS adoption is in its early stages, with several carriers and handsets on board, but broader acceptance hinges on interoperability, user preference, and device availability.

1. RCS in a World of OTT Solutions
July 2013

2. Today’s “Native” Mobile Services
SMS
Calls
MMS
• 160
characters
text
messages
• Voice
• Picture/Video
• Not
fully
interoperable…

3. Independent OTTs Fill The Gap
§ Smartphone
users
adopt
3rd
party
apps
for
FREE
messaging,
voice
and
video
calls
§ Operators
lose
ownership
of
the
user’s
experience,
especially
amongst
roamers
§ OTT
adopFon
also
translates
into
major
loss
in
service
revenues:
“…every
10
percentage
points
of
smartphone
penetraFon
could
cost
Western
European
operators
US$1.19
billion
in
voice
and
messaging
revenues”
Source:
Operators
vs.
OTT
–
Informa

4. – The GSMA RCS Vision
Smart Services
§ Voice and video calls, rich media sharing and messaging
Smart Address Book & Service Discovery
§ Identifies RCS-capable users and their service capabilities
Available on any handset
§ Handsets should support RCS natively
RCS and RCS-e Specs Require IMS Core
§ Specifically authentication, registration, and routing of IMS*
*either
in-­‐network
IMS
Core
or
as
hosted
funcFons

5. RCS-e – The User Perspective
Contacts
• IdenFfies
RCS
users
• Shows
available
services
per
user
Video
Sharing
• Enrich
call
with
video
• Capture
and
share
File
Sharing
• Send
pictures
&
video
• Share
music
• Circulate
documents
Chat
• Threaded
conversaFons
• Shows
contact
presence
RCS
5
will
integrate
addiFonal
capabiliFes
such
as
VoLTE
calls
and
locaFon
sharing

6. What’s Needed to Launch RCS?
IMS Core Network
§ …or at least a subset: authentication, registration and routing which
can be hosted outside the core
RCS-Capable Handsets
§ Native on 16 certified models from 9 brands*
§ Downloadable apps available for iOS & Android
Interoperability Between Networks
§ Based on Network-to-Network Interface (NNI) for existing protocols:
signaling, messaging, calling, image and video sharing and more**
**RCS
Interworking
details
available
here
*RCS
AccreditaFon
for
networks
and
handsets
available
here

7. RCS-e Adoption So Far - Networks

8. RCS Adoption So Far - Handsets
Source
–
GSMA
July
2013
Company name Product name
Mobile OS, Software version
starts from
Hardware Model Terminal profile
Accredited networks
used
Accreditation status
SONY Mobile
Communications
XPERIA RCSe Client
Android versions 4.0.4, RCS Client
version 2.4.9
XPERIA T,
XPERIA J
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain,
Movistar, Orange
Brand Services Limited
Approved (awarded
15.11.12)
LG Electronics LG RCS-e Client
Android IceCream Sandwich,
Device software version P76010a,
LG RCS-e client LGE-Arpeggio/v2.0
LG-P760
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain,
Movistar, Orange
Brand Services Limited
Approved (awarded
19.11.12)
Nokia Corporation
Nokia Windows Phone
RCS-e Client
Windows Phone 8, Device software
version 1232.12.9200.9827.1286,
RCS-e client version NWIN-1.0
Lumia 920, Lumia
820, Lumia 620
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain,
Movistar, Orange
Brand Services Limited
Approved (awarded
05.12.12)
Samsung Electronics
Co Ltd
Samsung RCSe client
Android Jelly Bean, Device software
version I9300XXELR2, Samsung
RCS-e client 3.1 (JB)
GT-I9300
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain,
Movistar, Orange
Brand Services Limited
Approved (awarded
18.12.12)
HTC Corporation HTC One
Android ICS, Device software
version 140567 (HTCRCSe-1.01),
RCS-e client version v2.4.11
Z520e
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain,
Movistar, Orange
Brand Services Limited
Approved (awarded
21.12.12)
Huawei Technologies
Co.Ltd.
Huawei RCS-e client
Android versions 4.1.1, Device
software version V100, RCS Client
version 2.0
G510, Y300,
P2Lte
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain,
Movistar, Orange
Brand Services Limited
Approved (awarded
15.05.13)
Samsung Electronics
Co Ltd
Samsung Windows
Phone RCSe Client
Windows Phone 8, Device software
version I8750XXME1, WP8 RCS
Client version 1.0
GT-I8750
BASIC (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer)
Movistar, Vodafone-
Spain
Approved (awarded
28.05.13)
Huawei Technologies
Co.Ltd.
Huawei RCS-e client
Android 2.2-4.1, Device software
version V100, RCS-e, RCS-e client
version v5
U8815 Asura
BASIC (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer)
Vodafone-Spain
Approved (valid until
16.10.13)
TCT MOBILE LIMITED
TCL/ ALCATEL ONE
TOUCH RCSe client
Android versions ICS, Jelly Bean,
Device software version MAUI.
11AMD.W12.22.SP.V15.F5.P, RCS
Client version 2.4.0
ONE TOUCH
BASIC (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer)
Vodafone-Spain
Accreditation
submission being
processed
ZTE Corporation ZTE RCS-e client
Android version 2.3 Gingerbread,
Device software version V02c-
Oct102012, RCS Client version
v0.1.8469
Mimosa
STANDARD (IM/Chat,
FileTransfer, Image
Share, Video Share)
Vodafone-Spain
Accreditation
submission being
processed

9.
Possible industry Adoption Scenarios
Limited
Local
Global
Fail
to
reach
criFcal
mass
Available
between
selected
local
networks
only
RCS
does
not
manage
to
become
an
alternaFve
to
growing
OTT
services
Available
from
selected
brands
in
specific
markets
Available
between
all
local
networks
-­‐
some
global
reach
RCS
becomes
a
valid
alternaFve
to
OTTs
for
local
communicaFons
Widely
available
&
gradually
reach
criFcal
mass
on
a
global
scale
Available
between
majority
of
global
leading
networks
RCS
gradually
becomes
a
valid
alternaFve
to
OTTs
for
majority
of
communicaFons
RCS
Handsets
Network
Interoperability
RCS
AdopFon

10. Telco OTT is Today’s Reality
Stop The Churn
§ Operators’ own OTT can be quickly deployed
Rich Communications Over IP
§ Voice, messaging, video, screen share, etc.
Fully Interoperable
§ With PSTN/GSM networks (calls and SMS)
§ With Joyn networks (audio, video, messaging, presence)
§ With social networks and cloud services
Future Ready
§ Existing OTT applications can be upgraded to RCS

11. OTT Future-Ready:
From Telco OTT to RCS
Hosted IMS components
§ fring cloud or 3rd party to host necessary IMS components for RCS
Enabling RCS on Handsets
§ RCS Gateway to support existing fring applications
§ New fring applications to support RCS natively
Web App
Existing Telco OTT
Hosted
IMS
Components
RCS
Gateway
RCS Telco OTT
Native RCS Handset

12. Network Evolution – Telco OTT
MNO
IP
Feature Phone
IP
2G/3G
2G/3G
Telco
OTT
service
is
launched
for
smartphones,
tablets
and
PCs
Tablet Web App
Telco OTT app

13. Network Evolution – RCS (1)
MNO
IP
Feature Phone
Tablet Web App
IP
2G/3G
2G/3G
RCS Handset
IMS
Core
deployed
in
network
RCS
Gateway
for
exisFng
OTT
clients
New
OTT
apps
with
integrated
RCS
New
handsets
with
naFve
RCS
IP
IMS
Core
RCS
Gateway
Telco OTT app

14. Network Evolution – RCS (2)
MNO
IP
Feature Phone
Telco OTT app
IP
2G/3G
2G/3G
RCS Handset
IMS
components
hosted
in
fring
cloud
IP
Hosted
IMS
Components
RCS
Gateway
RCS
Gateway
for
exisFng
OTT
clients
New
OTT
apps
with
integrated
RCS
New
handsets
with
naFve
RCS
Tablet Web App

15. Summary
§ RCS Adoption has Started
§ 10 carriers in 5 countries (Spain, France, S.Korea, US, Germany)
§ Native RCS-e available from leading handset vendors
§ Downloadable apps available for smartphones
§ Mass Market Embrace RCS pending:
§ Handset availability and penetration
§ Inter-carrier interoperability
§ User preference over independent OTTs
§ Telco OTT is Here Now & Future Ready
§ Allowing MNOs to retain user ownership
§ Delivering rich feature set and user experience
§ Offers future RCS compliance

16. Thank You
Contact us : roy@fring.com