Like RCS itself, the process to migrate an RCS agent from one aggregator to another is new to the US market. We at Vibes know that being one of the first to do something seems risky, and it will be if you don’t have the right partner. But if you’re not satisfied with your current RCS aggregator, rest assured that you’re not stuck with them. Keep reading to learn how you can launch your RCS campaigns with Vibes - the first aggregator to migrate an RCS agent.
Who’s involved in the RCS agent migration process?
There are several parties that play a role in the process, including Google, the US wireless carriers that support RCS for business, and the third-party verification platform, Aegis, who partners with the carriers to vet and approve any brand that applies for their own RCS agent.
How the RCS agent migration process works.
The only effort required on your part is to provide Vibes two documents to get the process started – Vibes handles the rest!
You’ll need to provide a program brief and a migration letter, the latter of which formally gives permission to move your RCS agent over to us from your current aggregator, and is required by all parties in order to move the process forward. Once we have everything set up, we’ll ask you for the preferred date and time you’d like to migrate.
The remaining steps, all handled by Vibes on your behalf, are:
- Retrieve your brand vetting token from Aegis, which validates your RCS agent has been verified
- Submit to the wireless carriers for approval to move RCS traffic over to Vibes to then run on their networks
- Submit your migration letter and carrier approvals to Google for approval to set your RCS agent up in the Vibes instance in Google’s Business Messaging console
- Google migrates your RCS agent to Vibes on the identified date and time
RCS agent vs. short code migration: how they’re similar and how they’re different.
Here are a few key similarities and differences between these two migration processes.
Similarities
- A migration letter is a required step to kick the migration processes off.
- Though done differently, brand vetting/verification is also a required step in the migration processes.
- Migration timelines are similar, taking typically between 4-6 weeks to complete.
Differences
- Unlike short code migrations where carriers follow their own migration dates, you can schedule an RCS agent migration with the carriers to move your agent over on the same date and time.
- With short code migrations, there is marginal risk for some program downtime. On the other hand, RCS agent migrations are done without un-launching the agent, which means there is essentially no impact to live traffic.
- Short code migrations only require pre-approval from some carriers, but it’s required to get pre-approvals from all carriers that support RCS to migrate an RCS agent.
Vibes is the first aggregator to successfully migrate RCS.
There’s a reason why Vibes was the first aggregator to achieve this milestone. Our longtime relationships with Google and the wireless carriers plus over two decades of mobile messaging experience made us the obvious choice to play a major role in formalizing the RCS migration process alongside these key parties. We made sure every step of the process was buttoned up, capturing learnings along the way to ensure every migration runs smoothly and successfully.
Are you ready to migrate your RCS agent?
If you’re not satisfied with your existing aggregator for your RCS needs, you’re not stuck with them! Vibes knows that a big move can feel daunting, but you can have peace of mind when you work with a partner who’s prepared the ways we are.
As a direct RCS provider, you won’t have to navigate multiple vendors or wait on extra approvals. This translates to reduced agent registration timelines and quicker, compliant approvals for launching your RCS agent with Vibes.
If you want to be guaranteed a quick and successful RCS agent migration where no traffic is down during the process – talk to Vibes today.
