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IRELAND’S TELECOMS REGULATOR is developing a text message ID Registry to reclaim trust in the communications method following an increase in scams.
In 2022, the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) convened a taskforce amid concerns about the perceived trustworthiness and integrity of text messaging as a means of communication.
Today, ComReg announced it is developing an SMS Sender ID Registry to prevent Short Message Service (SMS) scams.
SMS is the technical term given to text messaging.
ComReg say the registry will help maintain trust in text messaging as a means of communication.
It warned that an increase in text message scams is undermining it as a way of communicating, with consumers and organisations losing trust in texting.
Europe Economics, a leading economics consultancy firm, estimates the annual level of harm to Irish consumers and businesses from scam calls and texts is over €300 million.
Around €115 million of this is attributed to scam texts.
ComReg noted that many organisations rely on text messaging to communicate with their customers and clients, for things like financial transactions, delivery updates and appointments.
This business to client/customer messaging is called Application-to-Person (A2P) messaging.
A2P text messages often include an alphanumeric identifier, or SMS Sender ID, that may be the name of the company or brand that sent the message.
ComReg has said that Mobile Service Providers handling bulk text message traffic on behalf of organisations need to pre-register their business customers’ SMS Sender IDs with ComReg by 25 February.
Mobile Service Providers and SMS Aggregators, who specialise in handling large volumes of text messages, need to email senderid@comreg.ie to join the scheme.
From 3 July 2025, test messages with unregistered Sender IDs will be labelled “Likely Scam” to alert the recipient that the text may not be legitimate.
From 3 October 2025, text messages with unregistered SMS Sender IDs will be blocked.
Organisations already using SMS Sender IDs in their messages to customers should instruct their SMS provider to pre-register those IDs with ComReg now.
More information can be found on www.comreg.ie/senderid
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