Google Messages Chat Features - Time to switch from JIO network

Messages by Google

Messages by Google - Sounds fancy and new application right? But no, it is not. If you have Android phone and if it runs on stock Android UI, the default SMS application is nothing but this Messages by Google. Phones from Nokia, Motorola, ships with stock Android and have this app pre-installed. Phones from LG, Samsung, Mi, even Oneplus comes with modified Andriod and each have their own SMS application.

You do not have this application pre-installed on your phone? Nothing to worry. You can install it from Google Playstore. Link: Messages by Google

Okay so what's is new in this Messages application? Previously this application is built for SMS and MMS. Now it supports RCS - Rich Communication Services. While this is available in other parts of world from quite sometime, it is recently made available in India. New CHAT feature is made available on Messages app recently in India.

Chat Features:

> The biggest advantage is now we can send messages via internet (on both carrier and WiFi). You might think what is so cool in this, we already have Whatsapp, Telegram, and many more. But just think of sending messages/files/emoji/gifs/photos from SMS application without any third party application - moreover without any registration / sign up .... pretty cool right????

> Guess What??? it has web application too - Messages for Web

> Google Assistant is baked in and it helps in suggesting replies based on the messages.

How to enable Chat features:

Step 1: Open Messages application and go to settings.
Step 2: Select General and now you find Chat features option.

 

Step 3: Select Chat features and click on Try now.
Step 4: Soon the application will verify your phone number and carrier. If everything is good, the status changes to "Connected" in green color.

 
Steps 5: If your carrier does not support RCS, it will show the message why the feature is not available.

Why JIO is not supported for Google Chat features?

It has nothing to do with Google here. It all depends on carrier whether support RCS or not. I still remember when JIO launched they highlighted this RCS as feature of their network when there is no other network support this during that time. Then why is not supported on Google Messages application? I did some research on this and got to know JIO does not support RCS for third party application like Google Messages since they have their own application called Jio Messages. WHAT???

You can find the Jio Messages application here: Jio Messages

Even if you go through the description of this app, they talk a lot about RCS but they don't support 3rd party RCS - Shame....

My Setup

I have setup Chat features on my Mom's phone and carrier is Bharati Airtel.
My primary carrier is Jio. However as it is not supported, I have tried setting it up with Idea which is my secondary carrier and it worked. But as soon as I change network data from Idea to Jio, the chat features stop working which is understandable. May be during initial launch time Jio made sense with super economy data packs but it is not now. Not just for this feature, considering the network coverage, price hikes I think it is time switch network from Jio.

Try for other network and comment below whether it is working or not. Both Airtel and Idea support RCS and work with Google Messages chat features.

Source: Messages by Google , Google Community Question

Behind the Blog

Hi, I am AA. An IT employee whose happy place in the world is her own home, a Cancerian (which tells many things), emotional, foodie and Harry Potter fan. Overthinking is both my friend and enemy.
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Hi, My name is Ravi Teja. I am a Salesforce technical consultant. Besides coding, I love hi-tech gadgets, playing video games, weekend trips, watching handpicked movies and experimenting with food.
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