Survey suggests strong MNO support for RCS

Research published by BICS, the carrier services arm of Belgian incumbent operator Belgacom suggests that more than two thirds of mobile operators will have launched Rich Communications Services (RCS) by the end of next year. Nonetheless, the GSMA-sponsored integrated communications initiative faces a number of challenges, according to the more than 100 mobile operator executives polled by BICS at Informa’s recent IMS World Forum event in Barcelona.

Chief among the concerns voiced by operators was return on investment, with 43 per cent of respondents worried by the prospect of having to monetize RCS, reflecting hesitation relating to IMS-related Capex, BICS said. The second most widely reported challenge, highlighted by only 20 per cent of respondents, was ensuring a technically integrated service, incorporating video calling, multimedia file transfer and group chat services.

Divya Ghai Wakankar, senior product manager for voice at BICS, said the survey results reflected a “strong ambition from mobile operators to leverage the full potential of RCS to bring next generation services to market.” He continued: “By deploying RCS, mobile operators can get creative with their offerings, while utilising their unique position as trusted operators to drive adoption with extended reach across geographical boundaries.”

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