What your business needs to know about Ireland’s new SMS sender ID registry


Nuacom

Comreg has a new method of detecting scam SMS messages. Nuacom’s Igor Toma explains how it works

Trade


In association with Nuacom

If you’ve received a suspicious text claiming to be from your bank or a delivery company, you’re not alone. SMS scams have become a serious problem in Ireland, costing consumers and businesses over €300 million every year. To tackle this, ComReg has launched the SMS sender ID registry, a major new system to restore trust in business SMS and protect everyone from fraud.

Here’s what Irish businesses and consumers need to know about the new regulations and how Nuacom, an Irish telecom provider, helps you stay compliant and secure.

 
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Why is the registry needed?

Scam texts are everywhere, and they’re getting more convincing. In 2022, Ireland saw over 365,000 cases of fraud from scam calls and texts, almost 1,000 every day. Criminals often ‘spoof’ the sender name, making fake messages look like they come from trusted brands such as banks or utilities.

This has led to a loss of trust in SMS as a channel for important updates, financial alerts, and appointment reminders. ComReg’s new SMS Sender ID Registry is designed to stop scammers from impersonating legitimate businesses and to make SMS safe again.

What is the SMS Sender ID Registry?

The SMS Sender ID Registry is an official list managed by ComReg. It records all the sender names (like “Nuacom”, “AIB”, “An Post”) that businesses use to send SMS to Irish customers.

How it works

  • Only registered businesses can use their chosen sender names.
  • If a scammer tries to use a registered name, their message will be blocked.
  • Unregistered sender names will either be labelled ‘likely scam’ or blocked entirely.

The result

You and your customers can trust that texts from registered names are genuine, and it becomes much harder for scammers to trick people.

Key dates for Irish businesses

Here’s the rollout schedule for the new rules:

  • Bulk registration (February 2025)
    SMS providers and aggregators (like Nuacom) will pre-register existing sender names for their business customers.
  • Online registration (from May 2025)
    New businesses or those who missed the bulk upload can register their sender names online.
  • Warning labels (from 3 July 2025)
    Texts from unregistered sender names will be labelled “Likely Scam” to alert recipients.
  • Full blocking (from 3 October 2025)
    Texts from unregistered sender names will be completely blocked. Only registered, verified sender names will get through.

What does this mean for your business?

If your business uses SMS to communicate with customers, you must register your sender name, the name that appears as the sender on your texts.

Why registration matters

  • Protect your brand: No one else can pretend to be you.
  • Reach your customers: Unregistered sender names will be labelled or blocked after July and October 2025.
  • Build trust: Customers will know your texts are real.

What you need to do

  • Work with your SMS provider (like NUACOM) to ensure your sender name is registered.
  • Register all sender names you use (for different departments or services).
  • Keep your registration details up to date.
  • Good news: There’s no cost for registering your sender name.

What does this mean for consumers?

  • More security: It’s much harder for scammers to fake texts from trusted brands.
  • Clear warnings: “Likely Scam” labels will appear on texts from unregistered sender names from July 2025.
  • Peace of mind: You can trust that texts from registered names are genuine.

Tip: If you get a text labelled ‘likely scam,’ don’t click any links or reply. Instead, contact the company directly using their official website or phone number.

SEMrush insights: How scammers search for loopholes

At Nuacom, we regularly monitor digital trends and threats. A recent SEMrush analysis of search terms in Ireland revealed that phrases like ‘free sms with own sender id,’ ‘free sms with sender id without registration,’ and ‘send free sms with sender id’ are being used by scammers. These searches show that fraudsters are actively looking for ways to bypass registration and send fake texts while pretending to be legitimate businesses.

This highlights why the new registry is so important: it closes these loopholes, making it much more difficult for scammers to operate in Ireland.

How Nuacom helps

Nuacom is committed to keeping your business and your customers safe. Here’s how we support you:

  • Seamless sender name registration: We handle the registration process for you, ensuring your sender names are compliant with ComReg’s guidelines.
  • Continuous compliance updates: We keep you informed about new requirements and deadlines.
  • Multi-brand management: For businesses with multiple brands, we help manage all your sender names efficiently.

Beyond its Registry support, Nuacom provides Irish businesses with modern phone systems that come with integrated text messaging capabilities:

  • Send one-to-one personalised messages and manage one-to-many bulk SMS campaigns with segmented lists for prospects and customers.
  • Use call activities and logs to set up automated SMS for missed calls follow-ups, helping you increase engagement and drive sales.
  • Centralise calls, SMS, and soon, WhatsApp messages, all in one place.

Ireland’s new SMS sender ID registry is a great for both businesses and consumers. It means safer, more trustworthy text messages and a big step forward in the fight against fraud. At Nuacom, we’re here to help you adapt and thrive in this new, more secure environment.

If you have questions or need help with registration, our team is here for you. You can also read our blog article here.

Stay safe, stay informed, and let’s make SMS scams a thing of the past.



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