Forum Discussion
Does T-Mobile really support RCS?
My wife and I just got new phones from T-Mobile: a Moto G 5g, and a Samsung Galaxy A54 5G. Both were set to send messages by RCS by default. No such messages are ever sent. If I check the status, I always get “waiting to connect.” I tried setting “Switch from RCS chats if a message can’t send,” but after a few minutes it still shows “waiting to connect.” I had to turn off RCS entirely to send a text message. What’s the problem?
tidbits -
Thanks for the details. I tried it, and . . .
First I had to learn about eSIMs. This is my first phone with one, and I had been wondering why each of my communications apps was showing options for SIM 1 and eSIM 1. After researching it, I realized the store had not transferred the (very recently updated) SIM card from my old phone, yet some apps on the new one (or at least their Settings screens) were acting as if one were there. I went ahead and transferred the card, then went into the SIM Management and turned off the eSIM.
I then followed your directions above. I found that the default Samsung Messages app would not show me an option to turn on RCS, so I went back to the Google one, and it does. But when I “Turn on RCS chats,” the Status was shown as “Setting up...” “Trying to verify your phone number,” ans it just hung there interminably. . . .
That is, *until I reactivated the eSIM and set it as Primary.* Now RCS shows Status: Connected. And I can send messages properly, with RCS as default and “covert to SMS - only using the eSIM. Interesting. So I guess I will reserve the SIM card option for overseas use, if needed.
Thanks again!
- syaoranTransmission Titan
My s23 Ultra works fine as well. I don't use RCS normally but turning it on, it connects almost instantly and I am able to send and receive messages like normal.
- gramps28Router Royalty
My Pixel 6 works fine.
- SteveG-23Roaming Rookie
Maybe we need to go back to the store and have them troubleshoot.
- syaoranTransmission Titan
Flagship devices are updated faster. There have been some changes to RCS over the past few months that might not have been updated in the devices mentioned as of yet. Are your messaging apps up to date? For those using Samsung devices. Are you updating your apps, including Samsung Messages from the Galaxy Store? The app versions are different between the PlayStore in comparison to the Galaxy Store and the Galaxy Store apps for Ssung devices are updated more frequently.
- tidbitsSpectrum Specialist
Try this.
Turn off RCS
Turn off 5G
Restart your phone
Wait a few minutes
Turn on RCS
Turn on 5G
I also noticed using ESIM causes problems regardless if the device is unlocked, and if the device doesn’t use the carriers RCS servers.
- SteveG-23Roaming Rookie
Thanks, but (a) I just got the phone from the T-mobile store a few days ago, and (b) everything is current and automatically updated. However, I just discovered that the default messaging app was set to the Google version, not the Samsung (they are both just called Messages). So now I will have to experiment with the Samsung version.
- tidbitsSpectrum Specialist
either should work fine. If it is having trouble you may need to do above. A lot of people on reddit, twitter, and other places have had good results with above.
- SteveG-23Roaming Rookie
tidbits: Will try. My previous “Thanks, but” reply was to Syaoran’s comment.
- SteveG-23Roaming Rookie
tidbits -
Thanks for the details. I tried it, and . . .
First I had to learn about eSIMs. This is my first phone with one, and I had been wondering why each of my communications apps was showing options for SIM 1 and eSIM 1. After researching it, I realized the store had not transferred the (very recently updated) SIM card from my old phone, yet some apps on the new one (or at least their Settings screens) were acting as if one were there. I went ahead and transferred the card, then went into the SIM Management and turned off the eSIM.
I then followed your directions above. I found that the default Samsung Messages app would not show me an option to turn on RCS, so I went back to the Google one, and it does. But when I “Turn on RCS chats,” the Status was shown as “Setting up...” “Trying to verify your phone number,” ans it just hung there interminably. . . .
That is, *until I reactivated the eSIM and set it as Primary.* Now RCS shows Status: Connected. And I can send messages properly, with RCS as default and “covert to SMS - only using the eSIM. Interesting. So I guess I will reserve the SIM card option for overseas use, if needed.
Thanks again!
- SteveG-23Roaming Rookie
Correcting an editing error in the last paragraph above:
And I can send messages properly, with RCS as default and “Automatically resend as text . . . if a message can’t send” turned on - *only* using the eSIM.
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