Canberra, 9 October 2025 — The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has announced new rules requiring organisations that use branded sender names in their SMS messages — such as “myGov” or “AusPost” — to register those identifiers with their telecommunications provider.

The new SMS Sender ID Register aims to prevent scammers from impersonating trusted brands through fraudulent text messages, a tactic that has caused significant financial and emotional harm to Australians.

ACMA Chair Nerida O’Loughlin said the new system, expected to be in place by mid-2026, would strengthen public confidence in legitimate messages.

“Impersonation scams are highly deceptive and can cause significant financial loss and ongoing psychological distress,” Ms O’Loughlin said.
“With this new system in place, the public will be able to have greater confidence that SMS messages with a sender ID are legitimate. Messages with unregistered sender IDs will appear in a single ‘Unverified’ message thread on mobile phones, indicating it may be a scam.”

The new rules will also change how telecommunications companies and electronic message service providers (EMSPs) operate. From now on, every business or organisation seeking to use a sender ID must register it and prove they have a valid reason for its use.

Ms O’Loughlin urged all organisations — including banks, medical and dental clinics, retailers, utilities, and not-for-profits — to begin the registration process as soon as possible.

“July 2026 will be here faster than you think,” she said. “You need to take action now so that your sender IDs are registered and your customers can have confidence that the messages you send them are from you, not a scammer.”

Key Dates and Requirements

• 15 October 2025: Telcos and EMSPs must apply to ACMA to participate in the SMS Sender ID Register.

• 30 November 2025 – 30 June 2026: Businesses and organisations must register their sender IDs via participating telcos or EMSPs.

• From 1 July 2026: Only participating telcos can send SMS and MMS messages with registered sender IDs. Messages from unregistered IDs will be labelled “Unverified.”

Participating providers will also be required to educate business customers about registration requirements and inform consumers about what to expect once the register goes live.

The Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025 was introduced following a direction from Minister for Communications, the Hon Anika Wells MP, and was developed after two rounds of public consultation.

Further details and FAQs about the new register are available on the ACMA website at www.acma.gov.au/sms-sender-id-register.

Media contact: ACMA Media — 0438 375 776 | media@acma.gov.au
Reference: MR 30/2025