To help you stay ahead of upcoming regulatory changes, we’re sharing an important update from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) that may impact how your customers send SMS communications. This notice outlines what’s changing, key deadlines, and how to ensure compliance ahead of enforcement.
What Is Changing?
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has introduced a mandatory registration requirement under the Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025 – Telecommunications (SMS Sender ID Register) Industry Standard 2025 – Federal Register of Legislation. From 1 July 2026, any business or organisation that sends SMS or MMS messages to Australian mobile numbers using an alphanumeric Sender ID must have that Sender ID registered with ACMA.
An alphanumeric Sender ID is a brand name that appears at the top of an SMS thread instead of a phone number, for example, ‘MyBank’, ‘ATO’, or ‘GovAlert’. This register has been introduced to reduce impersonation scams and protect brand identity in SMS communications.
If your customers send SMS using a standard mobile number, they are not affected. This notice is for your awareness, and to let you know how Access4 can support you if branded SMS is something you or your customers want to use.
Key Dates
| Date | Milestone |
| 30 June 2026 | Registration deadline — all existing Sender IDs must be registered with ACMA before this date. |
| 1 July 2026 | Enforcement begins — unregistered Sender IDs will be replaced with ‘Unverified’ or blocked from delivery. |
What Does This Mean for Your Customers?
From 1 July 2026:
Without registration, your SMS messages will no longer display your brand name. Recipients will see ‘Unverified’ where your Sender ID would appear or your messages may be blocked entirely. This applies automatically across all Australian mobile networks with no warning at the time of sending.
Any of your customers currently sending SMS with a branded Sender ID will need to register before 1 July 2026 or risk their messages being labelled ‘Unverified’ or blocked. This could affect trust, engagement, and delivery of critical communications such as authentication codes, alerts, and service notifications.
How Registration Works
ABN Holders: Customers who want to send branded SMS messages using an Access4 SMS Gateway must register their Sender IDs through Access4 as a participating telco. The ABN holder’s Authorised Representative on the Australian Business Register (ABR) must be current and provide supporting documentation, as ACMA verifies against ABR records.
Non-ABN Entities: Must register through a certified Australian Telco.
Each distinct Sender ID must be individually registered. Customers using multiple brand names across different campaigns or services will need a separate registration for each one.
How Access4 Can Help – ABN Holders Only
Access4 is registered as a Participating Telco under the register. Whether your customers are looking to register an existing branded Sender ID or are interested in offering branded SMS for the first time, we can support you through the process.
What you or your customer will need to request a branded SMS Sender ID:
- List all alphanumeric Sender IDs you currently use or would like to use across all SMS campaigns and services.
- Check your ABR details — confirm your Authorised Representative is correctly listed and up to date.
- The Authorised Business Representative — the person who manages the business’s ABN — will need to:
- Create an account in the ACMA Assist portal (acma.gov.au/acma-assist)
- Complete identity verification via the myID app.
- Apply for the business to participate in the Register.
- Request the Sender ID(s) in SASBOSS under the relevant SMS gateway service.
- Access4 will place the request with ACMA on your behalf. ACMA will contact your Authorised Business Representative to confirm that the request has been authorised by the business.
ACMA Assist applications and Sender ID requests are manually reviewed and processed. Please allow up to 7 business days to finalise. ACMA recommends completing registration well before 1 July 2026, with onboarding ideally completed by mid-May 2026, to allow time for approvals and avoid delays.
Do not wait — processing times may increase as the 30 June 2026 deadline approaches. Contact your Access4 Partner Growth Manager if you have any questions.
mailto:porting@access4.com
