Observed Signal · May 18, 2026 · Use Case / Industry Commentary · Source: https://martechseries.com/feed/ · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Celerity Outlines Business Messaging Benefits
Celerity Systems' Managing Director Richard Simpson explains the complementary roles and use cases for SMS, RCS for Business and WhatsApp for Business in a hybrid messaging strategy. The article describes SMS as a universal, highly reliable channel for time‑sensitive alerts (OTPs, reminders, authentication) and failover delivery; RCS for Business as an engagement‑focused channel offering rich media, interactive elements and verified sender identity (vetting by Google and participating carriers); and WhatsApp for Business as a secure, globally available API channel (over 2 billion users) suited to personalised support and CRM integrations. Simpson recommends a layered approach that leverages each channel’s strengths, assesses country‑by‑country availability (particularly for RCS), and uses fallback paths (SMS/WhatsApp) where needed. The piece was published by MarTech Series on 2026-05-18.
Practical guidance on hybrid messaging channels (SMS, RCS, WhatsApp) helps marketers and martech operators optimise customer communications and ROI; highlights RCS verification and carrier availability considerations relevant to messaging deployments.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Richard Simpson is Managing Director of Celerity Systems, which incorporates BulkSMS and Kero.
- Celerity advocates a hybrid messaging model using SMS, RCS for Business and WhatsApp for Business depending on use case.
- SMS is described as universally available and reliable for time-sensitive, mission-critical messages (e.g., OTPs, alerts, appointment reminders).
- RCS for Business supports rich media, interactive elements, branding and verified sender identity vetted by Google and participating mobile network operators.
- WhatsApp for Business uses an API with end-to-end encryption, has over 2 billion users globally, integrates with CRMs, and requires opt-in and template-based outbound constraints.
Connected Companies & Entities
2 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
RCS: The New Standard for Customer Messaging
RCS (Rich Communication Services) merges the reach of SMS with interactive features from modern messenger apps, enabling brands to deliver images, buttons, product details, and payment links directly within the chat. Since 2024, RCS is available on current iPhones and Android devices, offering a pathway from traditional SMS without requiring a separate app. Marketers anticipate benefits from personalization, with a Sinch survey noting 42% of consumers want behavior- or interest-based messages and 79% trust messages with verified logos. Pilot deployments across sectors show impact: Picard reports triple-click rates and a 10% rise in website traffic; financial services observe greater trust in security notices; healthcare uses automated reminders to reduce missed appointments. Adoption is supported by APIs and platform solutions, with SMS fallback for non-RCS devices to enable gradual, hybrid rollout. Companies are urged to test Use Cases, leverage verified sender branding, and measure campaign performance via analytics.
RCS Revolutionizes Mobile Marketing: What You Must Know
RCS (Rich Communication Services) is accelerating as a marketing channel after Apple added RCS support to iPhones (iOS 18) and Apple and Google began testing cross-platform RCS encryption. Adoption and daily usage metrics rose sharply in 2024–2025: Google reported over 1 billion RCS messages daily in May 2025, T-Mobile users sent ~613 million daily RCS messages, and Infobip reported 550% RCS adoption growth in 2024. Vendors and platforms launched RCS-focused features and services — Twilio introduced Rich Content Cards and later announced general availability of RCS for customers, Attentive launched RCS Business Messaging in the U.S., Infobip deployed RCS across the four major U.S. carriers, and Cordial added RCS support. Reports highlight benefits (higher open and click rates) and risks (projected growth in RCS fraud). Marketers and vendors expect RCS to enable richer, measurable mobile experiences and new commerce flows inside messaging.
EZ Texting Launches AI-Powered RCS Business Messaging
EZ Texting, an SMS marketing platform for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs), has launched RCS (Rich Communication Services) Business Messaging, an AI-powered suite of interactive features that delivers 3-7x higher click-through rates compared to standard SMS. The new offering enables 230,000+ small business owners to send branded messages with verified sender identities, interactive carousels (up to 10 HD cards), HD media support (up to 100MB), smart automation (chatbots and in-message payments), and reliable delivery via automatic SMS fallback. The solution is designed for immediate deployment without requiring dedicated developers, bringing enterprise-grade communication tools to SMBs. The platform combines AI-powered automation with native messaging app experiences to help businesses execute sophisticated lead-nurture campaigns.
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