It would be wonderful if Apple added RCS capability to the iPhone, and
Google is offering to help:
<https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/7/22715696/svp-android-invitation-apple-rcs-texting-iphone>.

sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> asked
> It would be wonderful if Apple added RCS capability to the iPhone

I don't use RCS on my Android and I don't even know what I'm missing.

What does RCS gain for the average Android or iPhone owner that they don't
already have?

Searching for what RCS could do for Android or iOS users...

<https://www.androidguys.com/tips-tools/how-use-rcs-messaging-on-android-phones/>
"In short, the RCS protocol gives Android Message users the
opportunity for more data packed messages between chats.
Think 'iMessage for Android'."

"If both parties have RCS, they can share larger groups, videos, and
pictures in conversations... [but] you have to use Android Messages
as your client"

I use PulseSMS (which is the best MMS/SMS client out there, by far, IMHO),
so let me see if Pulse is RCS enabled yet... (and the highest rated)...
But it was acquired by MapleMedia so who knows how long that will last.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>
<https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/>
"Pulse is native for tablets, MacOS, Windows, Wear OS, Samsung Galaxy Gear
watches, Google Chrome, Firefox, Linux, and even Android TV."
"Pulse is the highest rated messaging app on the Play Store"
"Pulse SMS is completely free to use on your phone"
"We don't collect or sell your data, and there are no ads."
"All of your conversations are stored in end-to-end encryption.
You never have to worry about your data leaking out and no one can see
your messages except for you, not even the Pulse SMS Team."
"Pulse gives you the ability to sync your SMS and MMS messages across all
of your devices. Send and receive texts and pictures - seamlessly - from
your computer, tablet, watch, car, or any device with an internet
connection."

I don't see RCS mentioned, so I presume I don't have it with PulseSMS.
So what am I missing by not having RCS in my favorite SMS/MMS app?
*What is RCS messaging?*
<https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/what-is-rcs-messaging/>
"In the U.S., all of the major carriers support Chat"
"The protocol allows the exchange of group chats, video, audio, and
high-resolution images, plus read receipts and real-time viewing,
and looks and functions like iMessage and other rich messaging apps."
"Chat is available only on two apps: Android Messages and Samsung
Messages. Your recipient will need to have Chat too, otherwise,
Chat messages revert to SMS.
"In addition to read receipts, typing indicators, and sending and receiving
high-resolution photos and videos, RCS lets people chat over Wi-Fi or
mobile data, name group chats, and add and remove participants from group
chats."

AFAICT, I already have almost all of this already, with PulseSMS.
Don't I?

What does RCS give me of value on iOS or Android that I don't already have?

Am 09.10.21 um 00:49 schrieb sms:
> It would be wonderful if Apple added RCS capability to the iPhone, and
> Google is offering to help:
> <https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/7/22715696/svp-android-invitation-apple-rcs-texting-iphone>.

Apple has absolutely no interest that RCS is implemented.
This would open the door to their fenced garden where all this milk cows
are grazing.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

Am 09.10.21 um 04:09 schrieb Robin Goodfellow:
> sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> asked
>> It would be wonderful if Apple added RCS capability to the iPhone
>
> I don't use RCS on my Android and I don't even know what I'm missing.

If you have a more recent version on your Android you are using it
without knowing it.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On 10/8/2021 7:09 PM, Robin Goodfellow wrote:

<snip>

> So what am I missing by not having RCS in my favorite SMS/MMS app?

You can't send or receive SMS over Wi-Fi, or with only LTE data, but no
cellular connection. With iMessage and RCS you can. This can be
exceptionally useful, especially when traveling. I.e., on an airplane
with Wi-Fi I can send and receive RCS and iMessage, but not SMS (there
are workarounds to send and receive SMS, like using Google Voice), if
you have the app, but many users don't have, or know how to use those apps.

While WhatsApp is the default messaging system used in much of Europe
and Asia, and WeChat in China, the outage earlier this week shows that
depending on Facebook for WhatsApp may not be the best idea.

On 09/10/2021 04.09, Robin Goodfellow wrote:
> sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> asked
>> It would be wonderful if Apple added RCS capability to the iPhone
>
> I don't use RCS on my Android and I don't even know what I'm missing.

Basically it permits to send, with the same application used for SMS,
text messages to a destination without using the provider charge method,
by sending over Internet (like WiFi). Ok, this is mostly pointless to
north americans, but it is important in Europe (those without a plan
that includes SMSing), or those travelling to NA.

It also allow more complex messaging than plain SMS allows, somewhat
similar to whastapp.

In my phone, when I'm going to send an SMS it tells me whether it is
going to be SMS or RCS (rather says nothing if it is RCS). Your RCS
messages should display in dark blue box, SMS in light blue box.

It also offers cipher.

But messaging RCS to Apple is impossible.

Initially, this was intended to be provided directly by the providers.
But Google got tired of waiting and implemented it on its own instead.
So Apple to do it now has to talk with Google, and they don't like it :-p

Thus the offer from Google, I assume they also got tired of waiting again.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

Joerg Lorenz <hugybear@gmx.ch> asked
>> I don't use RCS on my Android and I don't even know what I'm missing.
>
> If you have a more recent version on your Android you are using it
> without knowing it.

I have lots of cellphones (most of which I get for free nowadays, as
electronics only gets better, faster, and cheaper over time).

This one is a Samsung Galaxy A32 5G from T-Mobile, which came with a default
messenger app, which I replace with PulseSMS the instant I populated it with
my hundreds of APKs from my other phones (the previous phone being a $100
Moto G7, and the one before that being a $130 LG Stylo 3 Plus, all of which
are the _same_ APKs since Android APKs basically work on any phone on the
planet, so there's no reason to download the APKs again and again).

Even my homescreen is just exported to a file from the old phone and
imported onto the new phone so that it's all the same folder hierarchy.

As for RCS... I don't see (yet) what RCS gives me that I would want, and
yet, that I don't already have with PulseSMS as my messenging app or as
iMessage on my iOS devices.

As you intimated, the articles said RCS is native on newer Google and
Samsung phones, so I'm sure that RCS is "there"... but I'm not yet aware of
what RCS does for me.

My iOS devices are the new iPhone 12 mini and a handful of older iPads, all
of which, of course, have iMessage (you know, with blue & green bubbles).

The person who uses the iPhone _loves_ Facetime & iMessage so there _must_
be something in iMessage that is keeping her so wedded to that specific app.

But what?

Every time I ask (she's _not_ technical in the least), she just tells me "it
works" (which is true, I'm sure, but that's not enough detail to compare).

Android messaging apps "just work" also, where they have so many options you
can't believe how many they have (and they give you end-to-end encryption).
<https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/>

I've tested _every_ free ad free GSF free google free messaging app that
exists on Android and in the end, the clear winner by far was PulseSMS.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=xyz.klinker.messenger>

I'm fine with the choice of standards; I just don't know what RCS gives me
(that I don't already have) on either platform, whether its iOS or Android.

sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> asked
>> So what am I missing by not having RCS in my favorite SMS/MMS app?
>
> You can't send or receive SMS over Wi-Fi, or with only LTE data, but no
> cellular connection.

Are you _sure_ about that?
I seem to send and receive SMS/MMS with aplomb _without_ cellular data.

To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G phone,
with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the Wi-Fi radio
turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I sent it to.

I used text-to-speech and that worked (which only works when I'm on the
Internet), and the recipient responded that it was received. Even an MMS
picture worked as I asked them to describe it (I can autoset the PulseSMS
messenger app to shrink pictures & video to meet carrier limitations).

Taking a closer look at the types of files I can attach, apparently I can
attach nine (9) types of data based on the menu when I press the little
paperclip attachment icon (including a template, contacts, location, audio,
video, photo, stickers (which appear to be childishly silly animated gifs
apparently), and animated gifs (why are they separate from stickers?).

I have MMS groups, where I can easily add and subtract members from any
given named group, and I can add the group as a shortcut icon to my
homescreen. There's a "search conversation" option, and a "schedule message"
option, and a blocklist, and in the "group settings" I can set all sorts of
"pretty" things like colors and accents and background colors and mute
notifications.

There's also the option for "private conversation" (which I've never used),
which says it hides the conversation somehow, and another option to clean up
the old conversations (presumably based on a given date stamp).

I can even send & receive MMS/SMS from a PC according to the web site.
<https://home.pulsesms.app/overview/platform-windows.html>
They say they also cover macOS (but I didn't test that out).

> With iMessage and RCS you can.

Unless I ran the test wrong, I easily send/received MMS/SMS over my Wi-Fi.

> This can be
> exceptionally useful, especially when traveling. I.e., on an airplane
> with Wi-Fi I can send and receive RCS and iMessage, but not SMS (there
> are workarounds to send and receive SMS, like using Google Voice), if
> you have the app, but many users don't have, or know how to use those apps.

I'm confused why you (and others) said I can't send/receive MMS/SMS without
a cellular data connection, where I think I just proved I don't need the
"cellular data" connection to send/receive MMS/SMS over Wi-Fi.

I proved I'm using the Internet (because the voice to text won't work
without the Internet) over Wi-Fi.

But of course I had the cellular (voice) connection on the whole time.
But why can I do it without even thinking - and yet others say they can't?

> While WhatsApp is the default messaging system used in much of Europe
> and Asia, and WeChat in China, the outage earlier this week shows that
> depending on Facebook for WhatsApp may not be the best idea.

My only problem with WhatsApp when I connect to my friends and family in
Munchen is that we both have to be on the same platform. With MMS/SMS
everyone can send/receive even if they're using Wi-Fi (although I don't know
how the charges work when they send/receive MMS/SMS over Wi-Fi like I do).

I'm still confused about what RCS gives me that I don't already have...

Can you explain what types of "rich data" I can send/receive on RCS that I
can't already do with my existing best-in-class free PulseSMS MMS/SMS app?

And can you explain why I can send/receive end-to-end encrypted MMS/SMS when
I turn off my cellular data radio and yet you (and others) say I can't?

> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G phone,
> with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the Wi-Fi radio
> turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I sent it to.

I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I don't
already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I could find.

I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then turning
on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no cellular data).

From my phone, using PulseSMS, I sent an SMS & an MMS picture separately.
Again, the recipient faithfully responded, describing what she received.

Unless that test was done wrong in some way, it sure seems to me that I can
send and receive MMS/SMS without cellular data (which was my first test).

And, this second test seems to show I can send/receive MMS/SMS without both
cellular data and without a cellular (voice) connection.

I doublechecked there was no cellular signal (voice & data) with Cellular-Z,
by JerseyHo (which is a free graphical cellular & WiFi signal debugger).
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=make.more.r2d2.cellular_z>

On 09/10/2021 23.19, Robin Goodfellow wrote:
> sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> asked
>>> So what am I missing by not having RCS in my favorite SMS/MMS app?
>>
>> You can't send or receive SMS over Wi-Fi, or with only LTE data, but no
>> cellular connection.
>
> Are you _sure_ about that?
> I seem to send and receive SMS/MMS with aplomb _without_ cellular data.

He did not say "without cellular data", he said "cellular connection".
Plain cellular connection. Phone calls.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

In article <0aj93ixc73.ln2@minas-tirith.valinor>, Carlos E. R.
<robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

> On 09/10/2021 23.19, Robin Goodfellow wrote:
> > sms <scharf.steven@geemail.com> asked
> >> You can't send or receive SMS over Wi-Fi, or with only LTE data, but no
> >> cellular connection.
> >
> > Are you _sure_ about that?
> > I seem to send and receive SMS/MMS with aplomb _without_ cellular data.
>
> He did not say "without cellular data", he said "cellular connection".
> Plain cellular connection. Phone calls.

an lte 'cellular connection' *is* data. phone calls are volte, voice
over lte, aka voip. the cell carrier tracks voice/sms/data separately,
but that's only for billing.

"Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> asked
>> Are you _sure_ about that?
>> I seem to send and receive SMS/MMS with aplomb _without_ cellular data.
>
> He did not say "without cellular data", he said "cellular connection".
> Plain cellular connection. Phone calls.

Thank you Carlos for clarifying what Steve had said, as I'm struggling to
figure out what RCS gives me that I want that I don't already have on both
iOS and on Android.

On Android, I ran a subsequent test which sure seemed like it showed that I
can send/receive MMS/SMS without _both_ the cellular voice & cellular Wi-Fi.

Here's how I ran that test:
1. I turned on Airplane Mode (and I left it on).
2. Since that shut off all radios, I turned on _only_ the Wi-Fi radio.
3. I sent an SMS to someone well known to me using voice to text
(where the voice-to-text translation only works over the Internet).
4. I sent two photos using MMS (both messages were acknowledged as received.
5. I doublechecked that my cellular radio was off using Cellular-Z freeware.

Certainly, under the test sequence above, without any cellular radio
(neither the voice nor the data) being enabled, I was able to send/receive
both SMS and MMS over my Wi-Fi Internet connection (using PulseSMS anyway).

Therefore I'm still a bit confused what RCS adds that I don't already have.
a. I already can send/receive SMS/MMS without a cellular connection
b. I already can send/receive at least 9 types of "rich data" files

So what does RCS add that I don't already have?

I'm not doubting that RCS adds "some" value to the mix, but so far, using
only the best free apps on the Android phone, I haven't seen anything that
RCS supposedly provides that I don't have already.

Can you?

nospam <nospam@nospam.invalid> asked
> an lte 'cellular connection' *is* data. phone calls are volte, voice
> over lte, aka voip. the cell carrier tracks voice/sms/data separately,
> but that's only for billing.

Hi nospam,

Can you advise what I may be missing about RCS advantages over MMS/SMS?

I'm still a bit confused what RCS adds that I haven't had for a long time.
a. I already can send/receive SMS/MMS without any cellular connection
b. I already can send/receive at least 9 types of MMS "rich data" files
c. I already can send/receive end-to-end encrypted messages over PulseSMS
d. I already can edit group chats to add & remove recipients as I deem fit
etc.

So what does RCS add that I don't already have by making wise app choices?

REFERENCES:
*I dumped all of Google's messaging apps for Pulse*
<https://www.greenbot.com/article/3192330/i-dumped-all-of-googles-messaging-apps-for-pulse-heres-how-and-why-i-did-it.html>

*How does Pulse compare to Android Messages?*
<https://home.pulsesms.app/android_messages.html>

*Pulse's End-to-End Encryption Technical Overview*
<https://home.pulsesms.app/encryption.html>

On 10/10/2021 00.46, Robin Goodfellow wrote:
>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G phone,
>> with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the Wi-Fi radio
>> turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I sent it to.
>
> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I don't
> already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I could find.
>
> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then turning
> on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no cellular data).

And that can work precisely if you have RCS.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 2021-10-09 23:46:59 +0000, Carlos E. R. said:
> On 10/10/2021 00.46, Robin Goodfellow wrote:
>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>> sent it to.
>>
>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I don't
>> already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I could find.
>>
>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then turning
>> on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no cellular data).
>
> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.

As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already. :-\

On 10/10/2021 1:13 AM, Your Name wrote:
>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>>> sent it to.
>>>
>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I don't
>>> already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I could find.
>>>
>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then turning
>>> on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no cellular data).
>>
>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>
> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.

If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.

On 2021-10-10 07:01:20 +0000, Heron said:
> On 10/10/2021 1:13 AM, Your Name wrote:
>>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>>>> sent it to.
>>>>
>>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I
>>>> don't already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I
>>>> could find.
>>>>
>>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then
>>>> turning on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no
>>>> cellular data).
>>>
>>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>>
>> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.
>
> If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
> Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
> Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.

The problem is that everyone uses a different one, so you often end up
having to install all the silly things anyway, and then try to remember
who uses what. In reality you only need the normal SMS one ... or
better yet, use the phone as an actual *phone* (rather than just a
glorified pager) and ring them!

On 10/10/2021 09.13, Your Name wrote:
> On 2021-10-10 07:01:20 +0000, Heron said:
>> On 10/10/2021 1:13 AM, Your Name wrote:
>>>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32
>>>>>> 5G phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only
>>>>>> the Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person
>>>>>> whom I sent it to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that
>>>>> I don't already have simply by using the best free messaging app
>>>>> that I could find.
>>>>>
>>>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then
>>>>> turning on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice &
>>>>> no cellular data).
>>>>
>>>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>>>
>>> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.
>>
>> If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
>> Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
>> Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.
>
> The problem is that everyone uses a different one, so you often end up
> having to install all the silly things anyway, and then try to remember
> who uses what. In reality you only need the normal SMS one ... or better
> yet, use the phone as an actual *phone* (rather than just a glorified
> pager) and ring them!

That's precissely what is different about RCS, on Android at least it
replaces the SMS application. If the other correspondent doesn't have
RCS, it sends as SMS, if it has it, then it sends via RCS. It is not
just another app. You can consider it SMS 2.0

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

On 10/10/2021 01.28, Robin Goodfellow wrote:
> "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> asked
>>> Are you _sure_ about that?
>>> I seem to send and receive SMS/MMS with aplomb _without_ cellular data.
>>
>> He did not say "without cellular data", he said "cellular connection".
>> Plain cellular connection. Phone calls.
>
> Thank you Carlos for clarifying what Steve had said, as I'm struggling to
> figure out what RCS gives me that I want that I don't already have on both
> iOS and on Android.

My guess is that your Pulse app has RCS support.

--
Cheers,
Carlos E.R.

Am 10.10.21 um 09:01 schrieb Heron:
> On 10/10/2021 1:13 AM, Your Name wrote:
>>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>>>> sent it to.
>>>>
>>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I don't
>>>> already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I could find.
>>>>
>>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then turning
>>>> on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no cellular data).
>>>
>>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>>
>> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.
>
> If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
> Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
> Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.

It only depends on the communication partner you want to reach and
his/her equipment and nothing else.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

Am 10.10.21 um 09:38 schrieb Carlos E. R.:
> You can consider it SMS 2.0

Exactely. And nothing else.

--
De gustibus non est disputandum

On 10/10/2021 1:13 AM, Your Name wrote:
>>>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>>>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>>>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>>>>> sent it to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I
>>>>> don't already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I
>>>>> could find.
>>>>>
>>>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then
>>>>> turning on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no
>>>>> cellular data).
>>>>
>>>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>>>
>>> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.
>>
>> If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
>> Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
>> Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.
>
> The problem is that everyone uses a different one, so you often end up
> having to install all the silly things anyway, and then try to remember
> who uses what. In reality you only need the normal SMS one ... or
> better yet, use the phone as an actual *phone* (rather than just a
> glorified pager) and ring them!

Ford, Model A, black.

Heron <McKeister@ipanywhere.com> wrote
> Your Name wrote

>>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>>>> sent it to.
>>>>
>>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I
>>>> don't
>>>> already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I could
>>>> find.
>>>>
>>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then
>>>> turning
>>>> on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no cellular
>>>> data).
>>>
>>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>>
>> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.
>
> If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
> Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
> Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.

The other consideration is what app those you want to communicate with use.

Your Name <YourName@YourISP.com> wrote
> Heron said
>> Your Name wrote

>>>>>> To be sure, I just ran a quick test, on my free Samsung Galaxy A32 5G
>>>>>> phone, with my cellular radio definitely turned off, with only the
>>>>>> Wi-Fi radio turned on, and the text still went to the person whom I
>>>>>> sent it to.
>>>>>
>>>>> I'm still trying to figure out what RCS gives me, that I want, that I
>>>>> don't already have simply by using the best free messaging app that I
>>>>> could find.
>>>>>
>>>>> I ran another test, this time by turning Airplane Mode on, and then
>>>>> turning on _only_ the Wi-Fi connection (i.e., no cellular voice & no
>>>>> cellular data).
>>>>
>>>> And that can work precisely if you have RCS.
>>>
>>> As if there isn't far too many messaging systems and apps already.
>>
>> If your needs are simple then any messaging app will work for you.
>> Each messaging app usually does at least one thing the others don't do.
>> Which messaging app you choose is based on the complexity of your needs.
>
> The problem is that everyone uses a different one, so you often end up
> having to install all the silly things anyway, and then try to remember
> who uses what. In reality you only need the normal SMS one ... or better
> yet, use the phone as an actual *phone* (rather than just a glorified
> pager) and ring them!

It isn't a gloried pager, it's a much better way of sending
something like and address or appointment details than
phoning the other party and writing the details down.

"Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> asked
>> Thank you Carlos for clarifying what Steve had said, as I'm struggling to
>> figure out what RCS gives me that I want that I don't already have on both
>> iOS and on Android.
>
> My guess is that your Pulse app has RCS support.

Thank you Carlos for that guess, which I would think would make sense given
I certainly can send/receive MMS/SMS over Wi-Fi with all my cellular radios
(voice/data) turned off.

However, I dug into how Pulse works and I never once saw the words RCS.

Besides, I'm almost certainly using an older version of PulseSMS because I
simply re-use the exact same APKs for all my phones; so it's likely the same
old APK as was on my prior few phones (Android APKs "just work" that way).

After reading these references, I think it might (maybe) be something else.
*I dumped all of Google's messaging apps for Pulse*
<https://www.greenbot.com/article/3192330/i-dumped-all-of-googles-messaging-apps-for-pulse-heres-how-and-why-i-did-it.html>

*How does Pulse compare to Android Messages?*
<https://home.pulsesms.app/android_messages.html>

*Pulse's End-to-End Encryption Technical Overview*
<https://home.pulsesms.app/encryption.html>

I suspect (maybe, perhaps) the Pulse app might be sending all the messages,
end-to-end encrypted, to the Pulse server first, and then (unencrypted) on
to the recipient via that Pulse server (which would send the message to the
recipients carrier first who would then send it to the recipient).

If that's the case, it tells me two things:
1. The messages aren't really end to end encrypted after all (no big deal),
2. The messages are 1st going to an Internet server & then to the recipient

I'm not saying that's it but I am saying that's perhaps (maybe) the case.

Given there is no mention (that I found anyway) of RCS in the PulseSMS app,
how else can I be sending/receiving MMS/SMS without any cellular radio on?