A Sender ID is the name or number that appears in the "From" field when your SMS lands on a guest's phone. A registered Sender ID means your venue name shows up instead of a shared mobile number — which boosts trust, and brand recognition. Regulators in Australia and the UK now require Sender IDs to be registered to cut down on SMS spam, so getting this set up early is important.

Before you start

• Registration is handled by a third-party agency, so approval is not instant
• Australian approvals typically take around three weeks
• UK approvals can take longer due to ongoing carrier backlogs — build this lead time into any campaign plans
• You can still send SMS campaigns while your Sender ID is pending — your messages will be sent from a shared mobile number until your registered Sender ID is approved
• Most existing venues already have previously-used Sender IDs pre-registered for them — check the dropdown before requesting a new one

⚠️ Warning — Without a registered Sender ID, your SMS will show up as a generic shared number. Guests are less likely to recognise the sender and more likely to ignore or mark the message as spam.

Why registration is required

New regulations from telecom authorities in Australia and the UK require mobile carriers to verify Sender IDs before allowing mass SMS sends. The aim is to combat SMS scams and spam by blocking unverified sender names and numbers. This applies to every platform that sends SMS on behalf of businesses, including Connect.

If you'd like to read more on the Australian regulations, see the ACMA report on scams, spam, and telemarketing.

Check if your Sender ID is already registered

Before requesting a new one, check whether we've already registered a Sender ID for your venue.

1. In Connect, go to Campaigns and start creating a new SMS campaign (or edit an existing draft)
2. On the Set up your SMS campaign screen, look at the From panel at the top
3. If you see a dropdown listing one or more Sender IDs, select the one you want to use — you're good to go
4. If you see a yellow warning banner saying "Your SMS will be sent from a shared mobile number", you don't have a registered Sender ID yet and can request one using the steps below

Request a new Sender ID

You can request a new Sender ID in two ways — both go to the same registration form, so use whichever is easier in the moment.

From inside Connect

1. In Connect, go to Campaigns and start creating a new SMS campaign (or open an existing draft)
2. On the Set up your SMS campaign screen, click Register a sender ID inside the yellow warning banner — this opens the registration form

Direct link

If you can't see the warning banner (for example, you already have one Sender ID registered but want to add another), use the direct registration link:

Register a Sender ID

Then complete the form

1. Complete the registration form with your venue details and the Sender ID you'd like to use (typically your venue name, up to 11 characters)
2. Submit the form — you'll receive confirmation once the request is in with the third-party registration agency
3. Wait for approval — roughly three weeks for Australian venues, longer for UK venues
4. Once approved, your new Sender ID will appear in the From dropdown on any new SMS campaign

💡 Tip — Choose a Sender ID that's clearly recognisable to your guests — usually your venue name or a very close abbreviation. Random abbreviations or marketing slogans can look like spam.

What a registered Sender ID looks like

Troubleshooting

I submitted a registration request weeks ago and still don't see my Sender ID

• Cause: UK carrier backlogs can extend approval timelines beyond the usual window, or there may be a compliance issue with the Sender ID you requested.
• Fix: Reach out to our Support team with your venue name and the Sender ID you requested — we can check the status with the registration agency.

The Sender ID dropdown is empty when I set up a campaign

• Cause: Your venue doesn't have any registered Sender IDs yet, or your user permissions don't grant access to the Sender ID dropdown.
• Fix: Use the Register a sender ID link in the warning banner to start a request, or go directly to the registration form. If you believe a Sender ID should already be registered, contact Support.

My Sender ID was registered, but my SMS still shows a shared number

• Cause: You may not have selected the registered Sender ID from the dropdown, or the campaign was scheduled before the registration was approved.
• Fix: Edit the campaign, open the From dropdown on the Set up your SMS campaign screen, and select the registered Sender ID before re-scheduling.

FAQ

Can I use any name as my Sender ID? No. Most carriers limit Sender IDs to 11 alphanumeric characters and reject anything that looks misleading, impersonates a bank or government body, or doesn't clearly identify the sending business.

Does registration cost anything? There's no separate fee to register a Sender ID through Connect — it's part of the SMS sending service.

Can I register more than one Sender ID? Yes. If you operate multiple venues or want to use different Sender IDs for different campaigns, you can request additional registrations via the same form.

What happens to my campaigns while I wait for approval? You can keep sending SMS campaigns during the wait — they'll simply be delivered from a shared mobile number rather than your venue name. Once your registered Sender ID is approved, select it from the From dropdown on future campaigns.

Related articles

• How to send an SMS campaign
• SMS in Connect: an overview
• How to buy SMS credits
• Edit an existing SMS campaign

Your venue name can now appear as the sender on every SMS, once your Sender ID is approved. Until then, your campaigns keep sending from a shared number so you're not blocked.

Any questions? Reach out to us via email at support@meandu.com