An SMS-to-RCS migration is a phased transition in which a brand adds RCS Business Messaging as a higher-value layer for selected use cases while retaining SMS as the fallback channel for devices and carriers that do not support RCS.
This plan assumes a mid-market US brand. You need an existing SMS program and a CRM that can trigger messages. You also need a team of 2–5 people available part-time.
BLUF: Do not migrate everything at once. Pick one use case with measurable outcomes. Run a controlled pilot. Scale only after the pilot produces incremental lift against a holdout.
Assumptions and pre-conditions.
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Existing SMS volume: at least 10,000 messages/month.
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CRM/CDP with event triggers.
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Ability to segment audiences into treatment and holdout groups.
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Legal review of consent language completed before launch.
Days 1–30 — Foundation.
| Deliverable | Owner | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|
| Vendor selected and contract signed | Marketing Ops + Procurement | Contract includes SLA and billing terms |
| Brand verification submitted | Marketing Ops | Materials complete, provider confirms |
| API sandbox configured | Engineering | Can send test message and receive webhook |
| Compliance review (consent, opt-out) | Legal + Marketing Ops | Written sign-off |
Days 31–60 — Pilot.
Select one use case. Configure the message flow. Launch to a 10% treatment / 10% holdout split. Monitor daily. Do not change the message design mid-pilot. Wait for statistical significance.
Days 61–90 — Scale decision.
| Decision | Data Source | Go Criterion (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Incremental conversion? | Treatment vs. holdout | >1 percentage point difference |
| Delivery stable? | Platform report | >95% delivery |
| Fallback working? | Non-RCS device test | >98% fallback delivery |
| Cost manageable? | Billing report | Cost per conversion below SMS baseline |
Table note: Go criteria are planning thresholds, not guarantees. As of 2026-10-14.
Roles and responsibilities (RACI short version). Marketing Ops runs the campaign and designs the pilot. Engineering handles API integration and template design. Legal reviews consent and signs off on compliance. Analytics sets the measurement framework.
Budget template for a mid-market pilot. You need to request a quote for the vendor platform fee. Carrier fees also require a quote and follow the Google RBM billing model. Internal labor is roughly 80–120 hours over 90 days. Legal review is usually 5–10 hours. Total costs are not publicly standardized. Request itemized quotes from providers.
FAQ
Q: How long does brand verification take?
A: It varies by provider and carrier. There is no public unified standard. Plan a buffer in your 90-day schedule.
Q: Can I skip the pilot and go straight to full deployment?
A: Yes, technically. But practically, without a pilot and holdout, you have no data to justify the budget.
Q: Does Laaffic support US RCS?
A: Laaffic RCS currently supports the United States only. The API supports batch sending with image attachments. Request a demo for current capabilities and pricing.
Sources
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Google RBM Billing & Setup: https://developers.google.com/business-communications/rcs-business-messaging/guides/get-started/how-it-works
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Laaffic RCS Product Page: https://laaffic.com
