Jio Introduces New RCS Business Messaging Rates For iPhone Users In India

Reliance Jio has introduced a new pricing structure for rich communication services (RCS) business messaging, allowing brands to send marketing, transactional and one-time password (OTP) messages to iPhone users on its network.

The new rates came into effect on September 1, as per an ET report citing emails sent by the company to businesses. Marketing messages will cost ₹0.27-0.30 per message, while transactional messages will be charged at ₹0.25 and OTPs at ₹0.11-0.16 per message.

The new pricing replaces Jio’s earlier flat RCS tariff of ₹0.08-0.10 per message, as per the report.

The development follows Apple’s expansion of business RCS support on iPhones in partnership with telecom operators. Unlike Apple’s consumer RCS implementation, which enables messaging between individuals across iOS and Android, business RCS allows companies to send application-to-person (A2P) messages to customers.

Apple has supported RCS on iPhones since iOS 18, although availability depends on mobile operators. Jio was among the first operators in India to bring RCS to iPhone users through its partnership with Apple in 2025.

Jio already offers RCS-based business messaging through its Jio Business Messaging platform. The service enables businesses to send branded and interactive messages, including rich media, carousels and action buttons, directly to customers’ native messaging inboxes. Jio describes the platform as being powered by RCS, through partnerships with Google and Apple.

Therefore, the latest development marks an expansion of Jio’s existing RCS ecosystem into commercial business messaging for iPhone users, rather than the introduction of a new Jio-Apple RCS partnership.

Apple is gradually rolling out business RCS in other markets, including the US, UK, Germany, France and Spain, through partnerships with local telecom operators. However, the commercial pricing is set by individual telecom operators rather than Apple or Google, as per reports.

Jio’s move could give businesses another channel for customer communication as they increasingly rely on rich messaging services for marketing, transaction updates and authentication. RCS offers features such as verified business profiles, images, videos, carousels and interactive buttons, while being delivered through the native messaging application. Jio’s business RCS offering also supports both Android and iOS users on its network.

The move comes as RCS adoption grows in India. According to data cited by Infobip, RCS interactions in the country increased 108% between H1 2025 and H1 2026, with financial services and fintech companies accounting for more than three-fourths of RCS traffic.

Inc42 has reached out to Jio for comment. The story will be updated if the company responds.

The development comes at a time when Jio Platforms is gearing up for a major public market debut. The company has received SEBI’s approval for an IPO which could probably be one of the largest IPOs to hit the Indian markets till now.

The company filed its DRHP with the SEBI for a fresh issue only IPO in June, proposing raising fresh capital by issuing  27 Cr equity shares with a face value of ₹10 each. 

The company plans to use the net proceeds to prepay or repay, in full or in part, certain borrowings of its material subsidiary, Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL), as well as for general corporate purposes.

Of the total amount that would be raised via the IPO, ₹27,500 Cr would be used towards the prepayment of certain outstanding borrowings of its material subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm Ltd.

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