Fixus SMS is changing

Fixus provides a feature to include a custom name on SMS messages to indicate the source of the message. This may be a sender identifier (also called “Sender ID” or alpha-tags) such as the organisation abbreviation or agency location. Organisation Staff may currently also choose their own mobile number, if entered.

Why is SMS changing?

With the increase in text scams (SMS and MMS) the use of Sender IDs on text messages will soon require registration with the Australia Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Sender ID Register. This register is planned to commence in July 2026. The purpose of registration is to protect against scammers trying to imitate legitimate messages and give recipients confidence that the message is authentic.

What will change?

With the requirement to register the sender IDs from later this year, many SMS Gateway companies – such as ClickSend, mailgun, twillio etc. – have starting warning of unregistered Sender IDs and alpha-tags when sending. We are preparing for this change by making adjustments within the Fixus product and to assist your organisation register the sender IDs to ensure that SMS communication is not interrupted.

If a sender ID or alpha-tag is not registered then messages may be blocked or marked ‘Unverified’ and reduce the ability for your organisation to communicate with your clients.

• The ‘Send From’ list of Sender IDs when sending SMS will only display Sender IDs that have been registered.
• The ability for staff to use their mobile number as the ‘Send From’ address will be removed from an upcoming release.
• If your Fixus Instance is using SMS Replies then Sender ID is not available and therefore no action is needed.

What does my organisation need to do?

When the Sender ID registration process becomes clearer, Fixus Support is here to assist with the configuration and registration of your Sender IDs.

If your Fixus instance uses SMS, please contact Fixus Support ([email protected]) to ensure everything is configured correctly.

We will be in touch closer to the time for registering the Sender ID’s so your SMS communications are not impacted.

More information

Further details of the ACMA Register is available at https://www.acma.gov.au/sms-sender-id-register