Billing types

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This section explains the different billing types for RCS messages, including global classifications and formats valid only in the United States. Each billing type is determined based on the message content, presence of media or suggested actions, and the direction and timing of the conversation between the business and the end user.

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Global billing types

Type	Description
Basic message	An application-to-person (A2P) message that: Contains only text (no media or suggested actions). Does not exceed 160 bytes in UTF-8 encoding. Conversational agents only: If a person-to-application (P2A) message is delivered as a response to an A2P message within the next 24 hours, the basic message becomes part of an A2P conversation. Otherwise, the session terminates. A basic message is always delivered from an agent to a user.
Single message	An application-to-person (A2P) message that: Contains multimedia or text that exceeds 160 bytes in UTF-8 encoding. And/or contains suggested reply or any of suggested actions. Conversational agents only: If a P2A message is delivered as a response to an A2P message within the next 24 hours, the basic message becomes part of an A2P conversation. Otherwise, the session terminates. A basic message is always delivered from an agent to a user.
A2P conversation	Conversational agents only: An A2P conversation is initiated when a P2A message is delivered within 24 hours of an A2P single message or A2P basic message. Note If a P2A message is delivered within 24 hours of multiple A2P messages, only the A2P message that immediately preceded the P2A message is used to create the conversation session. This A2P message, along with any messages delivered within the next 24 hours, are part of the new A2P conversation.
P2A conversation	Conversational agents only: A person-to-application (P2A) conversation is initiated when the following requirements are met: There is no active session (A2P single message, A2P conversation, or P2A conversation) A P2A message is delivered The business responds within 24 hours

United States billing types

In the US, there are two billing types available:

Type	Description
Rich message	An application-to-person (A2P) or person-to-application (P2A) message that: Contains only text. Bills in segments of 160 UTF-8 bytes. Can contain suggested replies (A2P only). Can contain the following suggested actions: Dial phone Open URL (without Webview) (A2P only) Note A rich card that only contains a title and/or description is not considered a text-only rich message.
Rich media message	An application-to-person (A2P) or person-to-application (P2A) message that: Contains multimedia or text. Can contain the following suggested actions: Open URL (Webview) Show location Request location Create calendar event (A2P only) Can contain media assets up to 100 MB. Note A rich media message can include suggested replies and suggested actions, such as Dial phone and Open URL (Browser). If the message contains any multimedia content, it is automatically classified as a rich media message. Messages with only text are also classified as rich media messages if they include one or more supported suggested actions. In such cases, they are not treated as simple rich messages.

Mobile terminated (A2P) session/conversation scenarios

A2P scenario 1

The brand sends a message (MT 1) to the end user, to which the end user responds with MO 1, triggering session billing. The session lasts 24 hours, starting from the end user's response (MO 1). The first message from the brand (MT 1) is also included in session billing.

A2P scenario 2

The brand sent a message to which the end user never responded. The message is being billed as single/basic.

A2P scenario 3

The brand sent two messages within 24 hours. Each time a brand sends a message, the time period resets and starts again for the next 24 hours. That means that MT1 will be billed as a single message. The rest of the communication is within the scope of the session (which lasts 24 hours).

A2P scenario 4

The brand sent a message (MT 1) to which the end user (MO 1) responded after 24 hours. This MT1 message is being billed as single/basic. In this case, the end user's response (MO 1) has not triggered any session or any type of billing. This is only because MT 2 also occurred after 24 hours of the MO 1 message. So, after the second MT2 message from the brand, the session procedure is the same as in scenario 1.

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Mobile originated (P2A) session/conversation scenarios

P2A scenario 1

Here, we have an example of P2A communication, which means that the end user initiated the communication. In this situation, a 24-hour window session starts with an MOx message prior to A2P, and all A2P messages from that point are billed as a session (until the 24-hour window runs out).

P2A scenario 2

In the case of multiple MO messages, only the last MO message (in this case, MO3) prior to MT1 will start the 24-hour window session, and the same logic applies as in P2A scenario 1.

• MO1 - 9:00 - 24-hour window begins
• MO2 - 10:00 - 24-our window begins
• MO3 - 11:00 - 24-hour window begins
• MT1 - 24:00 - first message
• MO4 - 9:00 next day
• MT2 - 10:59:59 - 24-hour session ends

P2A scenario 3

This scenario covers situation where there was no response to Brand message (MT 1) in 24-hour period. Even though the end user responded (MO 1) after some point, this response was after first 24 hour session period, which means this is the beginning of P2A session now.

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