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RCS Registration: Creating an RCS Sender

Create an RCS sender to define its sender name, branding, and messaging capabilities. This task is the first step in RCS Sender Registration.

# In this article

# Before you begin

The types and number of senders you create depend on the use cases you intend to satisfy. Each sender use case may have different approval requirements, and identifying them upfront can help you plan for distinct opt-out needs.

Sender use case and Iterable message type are separate settings. The use case you register here doesn't automatically select a message type later—you'll choose a marketing or transactional message type on each template. Iterable doesn't bind RCS message types to senders, but you should still match them so opt-outs and carrier compliance stay consistent with what you registered. See Creating RCS Templates.

NOTE

Be sure to create an RCS sender for each country and use case. If you want to launch RCS for your brand in different countries, create a separate sender for each country and submit it for approval for that country.

# Identify sender use cases

Select the use case that matches the messages you plan to send after users opt in. Reviewers check that your campaign description, message examples, and launch video match this choice.

When selecting a sender use case:

  • Promotional is for marketing messages, such as sales, product announcements, event invitations, and other offers.
  • Transactional is for operational or account-related messages, such as order updates, appointment reminders, shipping notices, and account alerts.
  • Multi-use is when one sender must send both promotional and transactional messages.

Create separate senders when you need promotional and transactional opt-outs to remain separate. You might also create senders for distinct business functions or business units. For example, an entertainment company might use separate senders for promotions, partnerships, and customer account updates, or for movies and programs, music, and gaming.

For the sender field's available values and requirements, see Use case.

IMPORTANT

  • If you select Multi-use, the campaign description and launch video must show both a promotional message and a transactional message. If either use case is missing, your application may be rejected during the approval process.

  • Opt-in confirmations, HELP replies, and STOP or opt-out confirmations are required compliance messages. They don't count as a promotional or transactional use case. If you select Transactional or Multi-use, include a separate operational example, such as an order update. Don't use an opt-in or opt-out confirmation as that example.

# Define use case-specific conditions

Confirm your consent flow, required disclosures, and opt-in, HELP, and opt-out messaging with your internal compliance or legal team before you create a sender or submit a destination for approval. See Best Practices for RCS Compliance.

# Gather your materials

The sender creation form and destination approval form require several assets and details. Gathering everything before you open Iterable lets you complete sender registration without stopping mid-form.

For sender field requirements, character limits, and image specifications, see Sender details and Brand details on this page. For destination approval form fields, see RCS Registration Reference.

TIP

Prepare all of your approval form answers in a separate document for internal review and legal sign-off, then copy your answers into Iterable when they are final.

The destination approval form can't be exported or retrieved after you submit it.

# Example sender application and launch video

Creating a sender and submitting for approval requires a significant amount of work. To help you prepare, review these examples before you do the process yourself:

# Create an RCS sender

To create a new RCS sender, follow these steps:

  1. In Iterable, go to Settings > Current Project > Sending Platforms, then find the card for RCS.
  2. Select Create sender.
  3. Complete the Sender details and Brand details.
  4. Preview the sender using the preview panel on the right. The preview updates as you change the form fields.

    TIP

    Make sure to review for both Android and iOS before you create the sender and again before you submit the destination for approval.

  5. Select Create sender.

    IMPORTANT

    Sender name and hosting region cannot be changed after you create the sender. Confirm both before you click Create sender.

# Sender details

# Sender name

Your internal identifier for this sender. Not visible to your customers. Used for internal systems mapping. Google assigns the separate Google Agent ID automatically after sender creation.

Requirements:

  • 3–40 characters.
  • Letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens only. No spaces.
  • Must be unique.
  • Can't be changed after creation.

# Brand name

Your legal or registered brand name. Select from the list if you're using an existing brand name or type a net-new brand name that's no more than 40 characters.

# Billing category

The billing model for this sender reflects how you expect users to interact with this sender.

  • Non-conversational is for one-way business messaging that does not expect frequent replies, such as alerts, account updates, and promotional offers.
  • Conversational (currently not supported) is for back-and-forth exchanges with users, such as product selection, booking flows, or support interactions.

NOTE

Currently, conversational billing is not supported. Select Non-conversational when creating a sender.

# Use case

The messaging purpose this sender is registered for with Google and carriers. This choice shapes approval and opt-out expectations for the sender. For guidance on choosing a sender structure and sender use case, see Before you begin.

Options include: Promotional, Transactional, or Multi-use. OTP is not available.

# Hosting region

The physical location where your RCS sender's backend services are hosted. This supports data residency, privacy compliance, network latency optimization, and carrier regulatory compliance. Your selection can't be changed after creation.

TIP

This doesn't have to match your Iterable project's hosting region.

Options include: North America, Europe, or Asia Pacific.

# Brand details

These fields create a display of your brand details for your end users to let them know who is messaging them.

# Display name

Your brand's name as it appears to your customers in the messaging app using a maximum of 40 characters.

# Description

A plain-language description of the types of messages users will receive from this sender. Write this as a factual description of your messaging program, not a company description, tagline, slogan, or promotional call to action.

TIP

Vague or marketing-focused descriptions are a common cause of revision requests. For example, use "Acme sends product updates, sale announcements, and other marketing messages" instead of "Get the latest from Acme."

Use a maximum of 100 plain-text characters. Don't include code, JSON, HTML, URL-encoded escapes, template syntax, OS paths, Unix commands, or nested placeholders.

# Accent color

A hex color that appears on Android as divider lines and contact icons. Has no effect on iOS.

Enter as a hex code. The color you specify must meet a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against white. To check your color's ratio, use the WebAIM Contrast Checker.

Your brand logo image. Enter a public image URL or select an asset from Creative Library. Google Messages crops logos into rounded squares—leave enough padding for the full mark to remain visible. Avoid transparent backgrounds. Use a white or solid-color background so your logo remains visible in light and dark mode, especially on iOS, which does not automatically invert logo colors in dark mode.

Options include: JPEG or PNG. Dimensions must be exactly 224 × 224 px (square). Max 50 KB.

# Background banner

A wide banner image that appears at the top of your sender profile. Enter a public image URL or select an asset from Creative Library. The logo partially overlaps the banner in the sender profile—keep important content away from the center-bottom area.

Options include: JPEG or PNG. Dimensions must be exactly 1440 × 448 px (16:5 aspect ratio). Max 200 KB.

# Contact information

One or more ways for your customers to contact you.

Requirements:

  • Required: provide at least one phone number or email address.
  • Optional: up to 3 total contacts (any combination of phone number, website, and email).
  • Phone numbers should use E.164 format. Website URLs must start with http:// or https://. Email addresses must be valid.
  • Recommended: include phone, email, and website for the best chance of approval.

# Privacy policy URL

A public URL to your brand's privacy policy.

Requirements: Must be publicly accessible and start with HTTPS. The page must describe how you collect, use, and share customer information. See Terms and conditions and privacy policy.

# Terms and conditions URL

A public URL to your brand's terms of service.

Requirements: Must be publicly accessible and start with HTTPS. The page must include program name, frequency, product description, customer-care contact, opt-out information, and Message and data rates may apply. See Terms and conditions and privacy policy.

# What to expect after creating a sender

Each sender you create has a status that reflects where it is in the registration and approval process.

Immediately after you create a sender, expect it to show a Syncing status for less than one minute. After syncing completes, the sender should move to Draft state, during which you can add test numbers, record your launch video, and submit your first sender destination for approval.

If registration is unsuccessful and the sender shows Failed, contact your Iterable customer success manager.

For details about sender and destination statuses, see RCS Registration Statuses.

# Next steps

Next, add a test device and validate the sender. See RCS Registration: Testing an RCS Sender.

While the sender is in Draft or Pending, you can also continue the project configuration steps in Setting up RCS.

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