When your agent is fully tested and ready for users, it's time to launch. You can submit the agent for launch on one or more carrier networks. The launch process includes:
- Brand verification: An authorized brand representative confirms your agent information and your right to manage the agent on their behalf.
- Launch approval: Google, carriers, or both approve your agent and launch information.
Once your agent is approved for launch, it will be able to reach RBM-capable users on the approved carrier networks.
Google-managed vs. Carrier-managed launches
Some launches are managed by Google and others are managed directly by carriers:
- Google-managed launch: Google manages brand verification and launch approval for the carrier.
- Carrier-managed launch: The carrier directly manages brand verification and launch approval for their network.
For carrier-managed launches, you must have a direct agreement with the carrier before they will approve your agent for launch. The carrier will reject your launch if they have no contract in place with you, and they may contact you to establish a relationship.
To identify which carriers these are, refer to the Launch page in the Business Communications Developer Console. The Select carriers form (described in Submit a launch request) lists the carrier networks where your agent can launch.
- Carriers marked with an info icon info perform carrier-managed launches, and they may have additional requirements. Contact them directly for more information.
- Carriers that are not marked with an info icon info follow the Google-managed launch process.
Brand verification
This section covers frequently asked questions about brand verification. To start the verification process, proceed to Submit verification information.
What is brand verification?
It's when an authorized brand representative verifies your agent information and your right to manage the agent as a messaging partner. This is a prerequisite for launch.
What information is needed for verification?
You'll need to provide the contact information for an employee at the brand who has the authority to verify the agent information and your right to manage the agent.
When do I need to submit the verification information?
You must submit verification information before you submit your agent for its first launch.
Do I have to submit verification information for every launch?
No, you only need to submit verification information once per agent, regardless of how many carriers you launch on. It doesn't matter if the carriers follow a Google-managed or carrier-managed launch process.
When does verification happen?
Brand verification happens after you submit a launch request. Here's the workflow:
- You submit verification information (this only happens once: prior to your first launch request).
- You complete the prerequisites for launch and submit a launch request.
- During the launch approval process, Google, carriers, or both reach out to your brand contact for verification.
How often will the brand be contacted for verification?
This depends on which carriers you've selected for launch.
- Google-managed launches: The brand will be contacted once, during your first launch request on any carrier with a Google-managed launch process. Once verified, the agent is considered verified for all future Google-managed launches.
- Carrier-managed launches: The brand may be contacted by each carrier as part of their individual launch approval process.
Submit verification information
To use the Developer Console, follow these steps:
- In the Business Communications Developer Console, navigate to the Verification page.
Fill out the information and click Update agent verification info.
You can edit the verification information after it's been submitted, but not after submitting a launch request.
Click Proceed to confirm that Google, carriers, or both should email your brand contact to verify your agent. This will happen after you submit a launch request, as part of the approval process.
To submit a launch request, click Go to Launch.
Launch an agent
When you request to launch an agent, it undergoes a review that includes brand verification and an assessment of your agent's assets. This process is managed by Google, carriers, or both, depending on which carriers you've selected for launch. See Google-managed vs. Carrier-managed launches for more information. Google-managed launches typically take 1-3 business days.
Once your agent is approved for launch, you'll receive a confirmation email. At this point your agent can begin sending messages.
Countries and carriers
RBM may become available on new carriers and in new countries. When you're ready to launch, refer to the Business Communications Developer Console for the latest list of countries and carriers where you can launch RBM agents.
Generally, when RBM becomes available on a new carrier, Google identifies launched agents in that carrier's country and automatically launches those agents on the new carrier.
Some carriers review all the agents that want to launch on their networks. In those cases, you need to submit new launch requests to launch your agent on these new carriers.
Prerequisites
Before you can launch your agent, you need to complete the following:
| Pre-launch tasks |
|---|
| Fill out all required agent information |
| Test the functionality of your agent and its associated infrastructure |
| Implement the STOP (or opt-out) flow |
| Implement a way for reviewers to access and test your agent |
With those tasks complete, gather the following information:
| Launch information |
|---|
| List of countries and carriers you want your agent to operate in |
| Name, email address, and phone number for the points of contact at your company who are responsible for the agent |
| How you obtain opt-in to message users |
| What actions or events trigger messages to users |
| The types of interactions your agent will have with users |
| The exact message the agent responds with when a user opts out of communications |
| (Optional) Screenshots at publicly accessible URLs |
Instructions for agent review; these could be
either of the following:
|
Submit a launch request
Submitting a launch request initiates the brand verification process and a review of your agent's assets by Google, carriers, or both.
To submit a launch request, follow these steps:
- Open the Business Communications Developer Console, sign in with your RBM partner Google Account, and click your agent.
- In the left navigation, click Launch.
- Click Get started.
Answer some questions about the state of your agent. Your agent should be ready to:
- Communicate with users who aren't on test devices.
- Allow users to opt out of communications.
- Have reviewers test or review video of your agent's primary, secondary, and opt-out flows.
If your agent isn't ready for one or more of these tasks, it isn't ready to launch.
Click Fill out questionnaire.
Fill out all fields for agent information, points of contact, agent experience, and agent review.
Make sure the information you input is accurate. It will be reviewed by Google, carriers, or both prior to the launch of your agent.
Click Save.
Click Select carriers.
Select the carriers whose networks you want to launch the agent on.
Click Confirm.
Review the next steps, then click Confirm.
After sending launch requests, the Launch page displays your agent's launch status on each of the carriers you selected. This page may take a while to update.
View an agent's launch history
The Business Communications Developer Console provides a record of the changes to an agent's launch status, including what the change was, who made it, and when.
- To view the most recent change to the agent's launch status, see the agent Overview.
- For a detailed list of changes to the agent's launch status across all relevant carriers, see Agent history.