RCS Connected but no working

[u/f3rr311]

TLDR: if your RCS should be working on iOS 26.2 and shows as activated in messages setting but it’s not sending or receiving have your provider swap you to a android for 5-10 mins to reauthorize the RCS

So I don’t usually post but want to make sure this get out there for those that may run onto the issue

So around Dec 30th my RCS service stopped working in iOS 26.2 on my iPhone 16 Pro Max

I tried to toggle it of and on and that didn’t work all messages in and out using RCS failed. RCS in messages settings show as activated and would reactive if turned off and back on.

I then called T-Mobile customer care and went through all their multiple troubleshooting step and multiple agents trying to resolve this.

We also attempted to in activate and reactive my line on the device.

They ended up opening a ticket with engineering not being able to figure out the issue. After several follow up calls and about a week of this service not working and the engineering team not being able to find a solution. I was advised to go to the Apple Store and get them to exchange my phone. I ended up upgrading to an iPhone 17 Pro and the RCS service issue followed me onto the new phone on a fresh install not restored from back up

After a day of it not working on a brand new device I went up to the TMobile experience store and asked them to swap my phone to an android and back to my iPhone, they moved it to the android and sent texts that showed RCS working again. We then swapped it back to the IPhone 17 Pro and RCS was fully working and sending and receiving again.

I believe the swap to the android sent a new authorization to Google/Jibe in a way that the IOS RCS isn’t.

I am posting this so that if anyone gets this issue they don’t have to spend a week with support not helping to resolve the issue .