Changes to Sender ID Legislation in Australia

You have likely seen recent updates across the media regarding changes to A2P (application-to-person) SMS communications, particularly around Sender IDs in Australia.

To help cut through the noise, we’ve provided a clear summary of what’s changed and what it means for your business.

What is a Sender ID?

A Sender ID allows you to display an alphanumeric name (e.g. your business name) as the sender of an SMS message, instead of a phone number.

What are the Sender ID limitations?

Up to 11 alphanumeric characters
No replies supported (one-way messaging only)
Must clearly represent your business or brand identity

Why all the fuss around Sender IDs?

Historically, scammers have been able to exploit weak Sender ID controls to impersonate legitimate organisations (known as “spoofing”).

These fraudulent messages often:

Appear in the same message thread as genuine business messages
Include links or prompts to capture sensitive information

This has made it increasingly difficult for recipients to distinguish between legitimate and scam messages.

What has changed?

The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has now introduced a formal Sender ID Register.

This means:

Businesses must register their Alpha Sender IDs
Sender IDs must be verified as belonging to a legitimate organisation
Registration helps prevent spoofing and improves trust in SMS communications

From 1 July 2026:

Unregistered Sender IDs will be labelled as “Unverified” on recipients’ devices
These messages may be grouped with other untrusted or scam messages

Is it now mandatory to register Sender IDs?

Yes.

All businesses using Alpha Sender IDs must now:

Submit registration details
Complete identity verification
Have Sender IDs approved via the ACMA process

What are we doing to support you?

As a Certified Telco provider, we manage the ACMA registration process on your behalf.

We have also introduced new features in Edgility to make this process simple:

Sender IDs now show a status (e.g. Unverified)
You can click Verify to start registration
The Sender ID is pre-filled automatically, avoiding duplication
Identity verification is completed securely via a one-time process

What do I need to do?

If you already have Sender IDs:

Go to Settings → Sender IDs
Look for any marked Unverified
Click Verify to begin registration

If you are creating a new Sender ID:

Go to Settings → Sender IDs
Select Register an Australian Sender ID

Can I still use my Sender IDs?

Yes — during the transition period:

You can continue using your Sender IDs while registration is in progress
This applies until 1 July 2026

After this date:

Unregistered Sender IDs may appear as Unverified, impacting trust and deliverability

What about identity verification?

To meet ACMA requirements:

An authorised representative of your business must verify their identity
This is completed via a secure portal using government-issued photo ID

In Edgility:

Identity verification is only required once per account
It can then be reused for future Sender ID registrations

What about Virtual Numbers?

Virtual Numbers are not impacted by these changes.

They remain a reliable option if you:

Require two-way messaging
Want customers to reply directly

We strongly recommend using either:

A registered Alpha Sender ID, or
A dedicated Virtual Number

to maintain trust and consistency in your communications.

User Guide

Changes to Sender ID Legislation in Australia