Australia’s regulation of SMS communications has shifted decisively towards infrastructure level scam prevention. Central to this change is the SMS Sender ID Register, a new initiative established by the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) as part of the Commonwealth Government’s Fighting Scams initiative. Businesses must register their “Sender ID” with their telco provider before 1 July 2026. The SMS Sender ID Register is intended to stop scammers impersonating well-known brands when sending branded text messages.
The register addresses a long standing vulnerability in SMS networks being the ability for senders to impersonate trusted brands or government agencies by using unverified Sender IDs (for example, “ATO” or “myGov”). By embedding identity verification requirements directly into telecommunications infrastructure, the scheme seeks to disrupt impersonation scams at scale, rather than relying solely on responsive downstream enforcement.
The register is authorised under the Telecommunications Act 1997 (Cth) and implemented principally through the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025. The regime operates alongside existing frameworks such as the Spam Act 2003 (Cth).
The primary regulatory burden falls on telcos, including carriers and electronic messaging service providers that carry Sender ID traffic. Under the rules, telcos must:
- apply to ACMA to participate in the register in order to remain eligible to send, transit or terminate SMS or MMS messages using Sender IDs from 1 July 2026;
- inform customers of the registration regime and publish certain information on their websites;
- offer to register Sender IDs on behalf of customers;
- verify a customer’s entitlement to use a Sender ID prior to registration; and
- from 1 July 2026, apply mandated controls to all unregistered Sender IDs, including over stamping the displayed sender name with “Unverified” when the telco sends or terminates text messages with no registered Sender ID.
In addition to register-specific obligations, there are general rules which apply to all telcos. Telcos that are not approved participants in the register are prohibited from sending, transiting or terminating SMS or MMS messages that use Sender IDs. Separately, all carriage service providers supplying public mobile telecommunications services must notify consumers about how SMS and MMS messages are treated when sent using registered versus unregistered Sender IDs.
Businesses and organisations must register their sender IDs before 1 July 2026. For Australian entities with an Australian Business Number, a Sender ID must align with a registered business name, company name, trade mark or domain name. International organisations and entities without an ABN may only register Sender IDs through certified telcos. Text messages sent using unregistered sender IDs will have the sender name replaced with “Unverified” and will be grouped together in a single message thread on recipients’ phones.
Telcos and messaging providers have been able to commence registration of Sender IDs since November 2025, providing a transition period ahead of mandatory enforcement. ACMA has encouraged businesses to complete registration in advance of the 1 July 2026 commencement date to avoid disruption to customer communications and brand integrity.
For telcos, compliance with the SMS Sender ID Register represents a structural requirement that will shape lawful SMS operations in Australia from mid 2026 onwards.
For assistance in understanding how Australia’s SMS Sender ID Register applies to you, please contact the Addisons Privacy & Data Protection Team.