On 1 July 2026, businesses and organisations that send branded SMS messages to Australians will need to register their sender ID with their telco provider. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) announced the rule change in 2025. This will affect many small businesses that rely on SMS comms with their customers, so hereโs what they need to know.
What does changing the messaging rules mean?
If you are a business or organisation that communicates branded messaging to customers or individuals, you will need to register your business name, ABN, and a valid reason for use with your Telco. On 1 July 2026, if you arenโt registered, your sender ID will show as โunverifiedโ.
This will affect everyone from the ATO to banks โ even small online retailers. For instance, consider AusPost’s messages to everyday Aussies and businesses about deliveries. When you receive a message, the sender ID (at the top of the message) will read AusPost if it is a legitimate message from them.
The bottom line: ACMA is mandating that businesses and organisations tell the people they message that they are who they say they are.
Why are messaging rules changing?
These changes come in response to scammers impersonating businesses when targeting victims. Cyberscams are rampant, and they often use fraudulent SMS texts to steal millions of dollars from Aussies and Aussie businesses.
In 2025 alone, Scamwatch reported that:
- A total of 26,910 text message scam incidents were reported
- Over $17 million in reported losses from text message scams
How businesses can prepare for the changes
Businesses that communicate directly with customers via text should consider complying with the new rule changes and registering with their telco. Imagine an online retailer sending a message to a customer about their order, but the Sender ID wasnโt registered. The customer will receive a message with an โunverifiedโ sender ID, which may lead them to ignore or even delete it, regardless of its contents or legitimacy.
Customers are savvier than ever about spam and will subconsciously filter their messages. If you want to reach your customer effectively, you will need to tell them who you are first, and that starts with registering with your telco provider. Itโs also worthwhile if your business relies on customers opening texts as part of your reporting, i.e. open rates, conversions, etc.
How to register your business with your telco
Registering with your telco is fairly easy. All you have to do is:
- Contact your telco or message provider.
- Provide them with the Sender ID you want to register.
- Confirm the registration.
ACMA has more information on registering and qualifying on its website.
What if I donโt have an ABN?
No ABN will make the process difficult. Without an ABN, entities will need to verify their legitimacy by providing a trademark or an identifiable name on a register/record in the country where the entity is based. Doing so wonโt guarantee registration.
Small businesses and communicating through SMS
Businesses that communicate with customers via SMS should consider registering their business name, ABN, and a valid reason with their Telco by July 2026. This will secure their branded sender ID and help establish trust with customers.ย
For more information on keeping your business secure from cyber scams, check out our cybersecurity checklist.
