If you are an Australian telco (a carrier, carriage service provider or electronic messaging service provider) involved in sending, transiting or terminating SMS/MMS sender ID messages, you must apply to the ACMA to participate in the register.
Follow the link to access the register on the ACMA’s SMS Sender ID Register page.
You will need an ACMA Assist account to access the register. Refer to the ACMA Assist registration guide for instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Once you log in to ACMA Assist, you will be taken directly to the Telco application form page.
3.1.1 Telco application form
Telco details
- Start typing your company name or ABN in the Australian Business Number (ABN) field. A drop-down list will appear as you type. Select your company name from the list.
- Your company name as registered on the Australian Business Register (ABR) will auto populate in the Telco name field.
- Enter your business name (previously known as trading name) in the Business name field.
- Enter your company web address in the Website field.
- Enter the address for your company in the Contact address field.
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- Check ALL the telco types that apply to your company. The options are:
The terminating telcos in Australia are Telstra, Optus, Vodafone (TPG Telecom), and Pivotel.
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Application requirements
- Click the Upload document button to upload at least one document to verify that you are a telco. This may include proof of a current:
- Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman membership
- Australian Telecommunications Alliance membership
- carrier licence
- contract to provide services.
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Applicant contact details
These fields will be prepopulated with details from your ACMA Assist account. All correspondence regarding the application process will be sent to this email address.
- Check the contact details are correct or update with new details.
- Check the box to certify that the information you have provided is true and correct.
- Click on the Submit button.
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3.1.2 Confirmation and approval
You will receive an email confirming your application has been received and is being reviewed. Do not reply to this email. If you have any questions, please contact senderIDregister@acma.gov.au.
- Click on the link to view the status of your application. In the example screenshot below, the telco has applied to be an originating, transiting and terminating telco.
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Once your application has been processed, you will receive an email notifying you of the outcome.
If your application is approved:
- Click on the link to open the register.
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Key terms
ABN (Australian Business Number)
Has the meaning given by section 41 of the A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999.
ABR (Australian Business Register)
The register established under section 24 of the A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999.
ACMA Assist
ACMA Assist is the online portal for the ACMA.
Certified telecommunications provider (certified telco)
A participating telco that is an originating telco that has been approved by the ACMA to be a certified telecommunications provider. A certified telco can apply to register sender IDs and send sender ID messages on behalf of non-ABN entities.
Client record (account)
An account that organisations set up with ACMA to access specific services. The account contains all relevant information about a telco or entity interacting with the SMS Sender ID Register.
Customer
An entity that has a contractual arrangement with their telco relating to the sending of sender ID messages.
Electronic messaging service provider (EMSP)
- EMSPs are defined in section 108A of the Telecommunications Act 1997 - Federal Register of Legislation, and include providers involved in sending text messages, such as:
- SMS aggregators
- customer relationship management platform providers
- software as a service providers
- communications platform as a service providers
- automated marketing platform providers
- two-factor authentication providers
After the ACMA approves the application, and in accordance with subsection 4(3) of the Standard, an EMSP can comply with its obligations under the Standard by:
- fulfilling the obligations itself, or
- becoming an EMSP partner, by arranging with another participating telco to fulfill some or all of the obligations on its behalf under subsection 13(5) of the Standard.
EMSP partner
An electronic messaging service provider that has a direct relationship with an entity and who has partnered with:
- any participating telco that is an originating telco – if the EMSP’s customers are ABN entities.
- An originating telco that is a certified telco – if the EMSP’s customers are a non-ABN entity.
and has arranged for the provider to fulfill some or all of the EMSP’s obligations under the Standard on its behalf.
Entity
One of the following who uses or proposes to use sender identification messages:
- an individual
- a body corporate
- a corporation sole
- a body politic
- a government entity (within the meaning of the A New Tax System (Australian Business Number) Act 1999)
- a partnership
- any other unincorporated association or body of persons
- a trust
- a superannuation fund (within the meaning of the Superannuation Industry (Supervision) Act 1993).
Entity associate
An entity who is authorised by another entity to send sender ID messages using the sender ID registered in the register for that other entity. Examples of entity associates are:
- a research company that has been engaged by a bank to send messages for the bank, using its sender ID
- a sports club that is authorised to send messages, using a sender ID that is owned by a sports league
- an advertising or marketing agency engaged by a business to run advertising and promotional campaigns, using a sender ID owned by that business.
International partner
An international telecommunications service provider that has a direct relationship with an entity and who has partnered with either:
- any participating telco that is an originating telco – if the international telco’s customers are ABN entities.
- An originating telco that is a certified telco – if the international telco’s customers are a non-ABN entity.
to make an application for registration of a sender ID and to send sender ID messages on behalf of the relevant customer.
Originating telecommunications provider (originating telco)
A telco that agrees to send sender ID messages on behalf of either:
- a customer
- an international partner
- an EMSP partner.
Participating telecommunications provider (participating telco)
A telco that has been approved by the ACMA to participate in the register.
Telecommunications provider (telco)
Either:
- a carrier
- a carriage service provider
- an electronic messaging service provider.
Telco partner
An international partner or EMSP partner. Requirements relating to telco partners are set out in section 13 of the Standard.
Terminating telecommunications provider (terminating telco)
A carrier that is responsible for delivering sender ID messages to message recipients who are connected to a public mobile telecommunications service owned or controlled by the carrier.
Transiting telecommunications provider (transiting telco)
A telco that connects with other telcos to transit sender identification messages between 2 telcos over a telecommunications network.