Participating telcos
A participating telecommunications provider (participating telco) is an Australian carriage service provider, carrier or electronic messaging service provider (message provider) that has been approved by the ACMA to send, transit or terminate SMS/MMS messages with registered sender IDs.
Telcos that send messages (originating telcos) play a key role in registering organisations that use sender IDs so that their messages are delivered without disruption.
Telco types and responsibilities
Different responsibilities apply depending on the type of participating telco you are – originating, transiting, terminating and/or certified:
- Originating telco: A telco that agrees to send sender ID messages on behalf of either a customer, an international partner or an EMSP partner.
- Transiting telco: A telco that connects with other telcos to transit sender identification messages between 2 telcos over a telecommunications network.
- 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.
- Certified telco: A participating telco that is an originating telco that the ACMA has approved to be a certified telecommunications provider. A certified telco can apply to register sender IDs and send sender ID messages on behalf of organisations that do not have an ABN.
If you operate as more than one type of telco, all the relevant responsibilities for that type of telco will apply.
| Responsibilities of participating telcos |
Originating telco (not certified) |
Transiting telco |
Terminating telco |
Certified telco |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Register sender IDs on behalf of customers with an ABN |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Register sender IDs on behalf of customers without an ABN |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Verify identity and legitimacy of sender ID customers using own processes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Send sender ID messages |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Transit sender ID messages |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
| Terminate sender ID messages |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
| Partner with Australian electronic messaging service providers |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Partner with international telcos to register and send sender ID messages for organisations with an ABN |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Partner with international telcos to register and send sender ID messages for organisations without an ABN |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
| Report quarterly to the ACMA |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Register to become a participating telco
1. Sign up to ACMA Assist
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, if you do not already have one.
2. Apply to participate
Log in to ACMA Assist and use this link to complete the application process.
Applications will be manually reviewed and processed, so you should allow up to 7 days for us to finalise your application.
You will need to provide your:
- Australian Business Number (ABN)
- telco name (from the Australian Business Register)
- business name (trading name)
- website address
- telco type (whether you originate, transit and/or terminate sender IDs)
- contact address
- contact details of the representative applying
- supporting evidence that you are a telco, such as:
- Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman membership
- Australian Telecommunications Alliance membership
- carrier licence
- contract to provide services
- attestation that the information provided in the application is true and accurate.
User guide
Refer to ‘3.1 Apply to participate in the SMS Sender ID Register’ in the SMS Sender ID Register: User guide for telcos for more information.
If you are not approved or you don’t register
If you are an Australian telco and are not approved to participate, or you do not apply to participate, you will not be allowed to send or carry SMS/MMS with sender IDs from 1 July 2026.
Sender ID messages sent by non-participating Australian telcos will be blocked.
Message providers
A message provider is a person or business that provides electronic messaging services (texting) to the public.
For the purposes of the register, message providers are a ‘telco’.
Message providers can either:
- participate in the register directly by applying to the ACMA to participate
- participate indirectly by partnering with a participating telco to meet their obligations under the register.
You might choose to participate in the register directly if you’re a large message provider whose only or core business is sending significant volumes of messages.
You may prefer to participate in the register indirectly if you’re a small message provider, or if you’re a larger provider where sending messages is just one of many services you provide.
Partnering
Partnering with Australian message providers
Originating telcos who are not certified can only partner with Australian message providers that both:
- participate in the register indirectly
- deal with organisations that have an ABN.
As transiting and terminating telcos do not send messages, they cannot enter into partnerships with Australian message providers.
Partnering with international telcos
Originating telcos who are not certified can only partner with international telcos (including international message providers) to register sender IDs on behalf of organisations with an ABN.
This partnership must be formalised through a written agreement.
Refer to section 13 of the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025 for information about partnering with an international telco.
Sender IDs for messages sent by international telcos that have not partnered with a certified telco will be labelled ‘Unverified’.
As transiting and terminating telcos do not send messages, they cannot enter into partnerships with international telcos.
Compliance and reporting
Reporting
All participating telcos must report quarterly to the ACMA on:
- complaints received about the register
- messages sent or disrupted
- attempts by non-participating providers to send messages
- requests from non-ABN organisations that could not be registered due to failed verification.
Other reporting obligations vary depending on whether you are an originating, transiting, terminating or certified telco.
Record-keeping
You must:
- keep records to demonstrate compliance with the register
- retain these records for 2 years
- protect records from misuse
- securely destroy them when they are no longer required.
System breaches
If you experience a system breach, you must notify the ACMA as soon as practicable and outline the steps taken to resolve the issue. You can either:
- email: info@acma.gov.au
- phone: 1300 850 115.
Fees to use the register
There may be fees in future for using the SMS Sender ID Register. Any fees will be subject to future arrangements and will be communicated before their implementation.