Vodafone Germany partnered with messaging company Horisen and Dimoco Payments to develop a public transport ticketing concept based on Rich Communication Services (RCS) and Direct Carrier Billing (DCB), a solution the trio claimed will be the first of its kind.

In an announcement, Horisen stated it will provide its own business messenger platform for the service, which allows commuters to book transportation tickets through Vodafone’s RCS messaging and pay directly through their phone bills.

To complete the ticket booking, users can scan a QR code at bus stops to select their tariff, with the companies pitching the approach as simplifying ticketing process and “making public transportation more convenient for everyone”.

Horisen further claimed the RCS-based ticketing solution can “optimise urban traffic flows” and hence promoting “environmentally friendly mobility concepts”, which the business messaging specialist stated as aligning with their sustainability values.

The technology was demonstrated at an event in Germany and is part of Vodafone’s Uplift Project, intended to develop “future-oriented solutions” in sustainability, data analytics, Augmented Reality (AR) and AI.

Horisen noted the partnership reflects “the power of RCS technology”, and its business messaging director Rafal Nowak said the project “exemplifies how we can work together to create solutions that not only meet market demands, but also drive the future of public services”.

Momentum is building up again around RCS, as Apple will finally introduce the solution on iOS 18, which is due to launch next week.