Introduction

RCS (Rich Communication Services) is an IP-based messaging service provided to mobile phone users through mobile operator networks. RCS Business Messaging (RBM) enables a brand to communicate with users through messages and events to meet their business goals. These business goals could be delivery of an OTP, confirmation of a user's actions such as an order with a suggested action button to track the delivery of the order, or links to contact customer support.

Brands need to create an RBM Agent to communicate with users. An RBM agent can use rich cards, media, and suggestions to guide users through a rich conversational experience.

Product Name

Gupshup RCS API

Target Audience

Gupshup RCS API is intended for the developers and IT personnel of enterprises who plan to integrate their systems with the Gupshup Messaging API to send RCS messages to their users and/or to build an RCS Conversation bot.

Features

Terminology

This section defines the key terms used for RCS Business Messaging.

“Agent” or “RBM Agent” is the Verified Sender that communicates with the User via RBM.

“Agent Assets” are some or all of Agent Name, Short Description, Long Description, TOS URL, Privacy Policy URL, Contact Info (Phone, Email, Website URL), Brand Logo, Banner Image, and Agent Screenshots.

"Agent Logo” is a square logo that represents the Brand’s identity in the RBM Agent. It is displayed along with each message from the Brand to the user. The Agent Logo is also overlayed below the Banner Image on the Info & Options Page Gupshup RBM Platform takes an image and transforms it into a 224 x 224 pixel image.

“Agent Name” is the name for an RBM Agent. It is a string between 1 and 40 characters. It is the Display Name of the chat for the Agent.

"Agent Use Case” means one of (a) OTP, (b) Transactional, and (c) Promotional use case assigned to the Agent, for application of business rules.

“Banner Image” is a 1440 x 448 pixel image that is displayed in the upper part of the Info & Options Page, behind the Agent Logo.

“Brand” is a product or service that is publicly distinguished from other products, services, or concepts. Every RBM Agent represents a Brand. An Enterprise can have one or more Brands.

"Brand Name” is the name of the Brand. It is an alphanumeric string between 1 and 128 characters. Brand Name is not visible to the End User, but is needed as part of Brand Verification while launching an Agent.

“Bot ID” is an internal ID of an RBM Agent on the Gupshup RBM platform.

“Chat Thread” is a conversation between the Agent and the End User.

“Contact Info” means the Phone number, Email address, and Website URL for the Agent, that will be visible to the End User under the Info tab on the Info & Options Page.

“End User” or “User” is the user with an RCS enabled client, typically the Messages (by Google) app on the Android devices.

“Enterprise” is an entity, e.g., a corporation that owns one or more brands, and a customer of Gupshup.

Info & Options Page is the screen displayed in the Messages app when clicking on the Agent Name in the Chat Thread. The Info & Options Page includes two tabs. The Info tab shows the contacts for the Agent including the Phone Number, Email and Website. The Options tab includes options to view the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for the Agent and the option to block or report spam.

“Launched Agent” means an Agent that has been verified and is allowed to send and/or receive RCS messages to End Users.

“Long Description” a string between 1 and 3000 characters. The Long Description is used during verification and is visible to End Users on the Bot Store.

“Messages” or “Messages by Google” is the Messages app by Google, that is installed on Android devices (pre-installed or downloaded by users), and is the set as the default SMS app and enabled for RCS Chat feature.

“Privacy Policy URL” is the URL pointing to the privacy policy under which the Brand offers the Agent to End Users and is visible to users under the Options tab of the Info and Options page. Privacy policy tells End Users how and why the Brand is collecting their information. It spells out how the Brand may use the data, why the Brand uses it, and if the data is shared with others.

“Promotion Initiation Hours” means 10 am – 9pm (7 days a week).

“RBM” means RCS Business Messaging.

“Samsung Messages” is the Messages app by Samsung, that may be pre-installed (or installed by End Users), on some Samsung devices, and is the default SMS app for those Samsung devices and enabled for RCS.

“Short Description” a string between 1 and 100 characters. It is shown on the Info & Options Page to the user.

“Terms of Service URL” is the URL pointing to the terms of service under which the Brand offers the Agent to End Users and is visible to users under the Options tab of the Info and Options page.