Proposed requirements for the SMS sender ID register

Scammers use alphanumeric sender IDs (shortened brand or agency names in message headers that appear at the top of messages, like ‘NAB’, ‘ATO’, ‘CBA’) to impersonate well-known brands or agencies. Scammers do this to gain consumer trust and trick them into giving personal information or money.

The Minister for Communications has directed the ACMA to make an industry standard. We are now responsible for implementing the SMS sender ID register to protect consumers from these types of scams. 

We have already consulted on the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard, which sets out the roles and responsibilities of telco providers. 

We are now consulting on the SMS Sender ID Register (Application, Access and Administration) Determination 2025. This complements the standard and focusses on requirements that apply to entities and certified telcos who would like to participate in the SMS sender ID register. 

We anticipate the register will go live by 15 December 2025. It is unlikely we can extend the cutoff time for submissions. We encourage you to contact us as soon as possible if you have questions about your submission.

We welcome your comments on the issues raised in the consultation paper by 5 pm (AEST) on Monday 8 September 2025.

Click on the 'Upload submission' button above to send us your views.