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Bulk SMS in Ireland: ComReg Sender ID Registry and Consent

Bulk SMS Ireland guide: ComReg SMS Sender ID Registry and Likely Scam labels, ePrivacy consent rules, Vodafone, Three and Eir routes, and GSM-7 limits.

Updated 10 min read

By OmniChannels.ai Editorial Team · Reviewed by BroadNet Messaging Solutions Team

SMS & OTP

Short answer

To send bulk SMS in Ireland, use a provider with routes to Vodafone, Three and Eir, register every alphanumeric sender ID (3 to 11 characters) in the ComReg SMS Sender ID Registry, and message only people who gave clear, affirmative consent under the ePrivacy Regulations (S.I. 336 of 2011) and GDPR. Unregistered alphanumeric IDs are labelled "Likely Scam" on handsets, so register before you launch.

On this page
  1. What rules apply to bulk SMS in Ireland?
  2. What is the ComReg SMS Sender ID Registry?
  3. How do you register a sender ID for Ireland?
  4. Do you need consent to send marketing SMS in Ireland?
  5. Which operators carry SMS in Ireland?
  6. How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?
  7. How do English and Irish text affect SMS length?
  8. When should you send?
  9. A worked example: a Dublin bike retailer
  10. What are the common mistakes?
  11. How OmniChannels.ai helps

Key takeaways

  • The regulator is ComReg. Its SMS Sender ID Registry, created by Decision D14/24, covers alphanumeric sender IDs, and since 3 July 2025 unregistered IDs are changed to a Likely Scam label.
  • Our regulation data lists alphanumeric IDs of 3 to 11 characters, with numeric long codes also supported, and no published lead time because registration runs through the ComReg registry.
  • Marketing SMS needs the recipient's clear, affirmative consent under Regulation 13 of S.I. 336 of 2011, enforced by the Data Protection Commission, with GDPR applying to the personal data itself.
  • Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, each with a direct route: Vodafone Ireland (272-01), Three Ireland (272-05) and Eir (272-03).
  • English text fits GSM-7 (160 characters, 153 per part), but Irish-language fadas such as a, i, o and u with an acute accent are outside the GSM-7 alphabet and switch the message to Unicode (70 characters, 67 per part).

This guide is for marketing, e-commerce, retail and operations teams that want to send business SMS to mobile numbers in Ireland: OTPs, delivery alerts, appointment reminders and promotions. It explains who regulates what, how the ComReg Sender ID Registry works, what consent you need, and how English and Irish text affect message length. It is a practical overview, not legal advice; confirm requirements with Irish counsel and your provider before launch.

What rules apply to bulk SMS in Ireland?

Three layers apply: telecoms regulation by ComReg, the ePrivacy Regulations for marketing consent, and GDPR for personal data. None is a single "bulk SMS law", so you assemble the picture from all three.

Layer What it covers Where to check
ComReg Telecoms regulator; runs the SMS Sender ID Registry comreg.ie
ePrivacy Regulations, S.I. 336 of 2011 Consent and opt-out for unsolicited electronic direct marketing, including SMS Irish Statute Book
GDPR and the Data Protection Commission (DPC) Lawful basis, transparency and rights for personal data, and enforcement of the direct marketing rules dataprotection.ie
Operators (Vodafone, Three, Eir) Routes, filtering and technical sender ID handling Your provider

Our regulation data lists the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg) as the regulator and records that unregistered sender IDs are labelled "Likely Scam". It also records the consent rule below.

What is the ComReg SMS Sender ID Registry?

It is a register of alphanumeric sender IDs run by ComReg, introduced by Decision Instrument D14/24 to fight scam texts that imitate trusted brands. An alphanumeric sender ID is the text name, such as a brand, that appears instead of a phone number; see alphanumeric sender ID.

What ComReg publishes, as we read it:

  • The registry covers alphanumeric sender IDs only.
  • Since 3 July 2025, ComReg states that unregistered sender IDs are changed to a "Likely Scam" label.
  • Registration is applied for through ComReg's portal, under Rules of Registration; Version 2.0 is dated 27 February 2026, so use the current version.
  • Aggregators that carry your traffic are expected to support the registry, not to add steps that hinder it.

Our regulation data adds that alphanumeric IDs run from 3 to 11 characters and that numeric long codes are also supported. It records no published lead time, because the registry rather than a fixed operator process governs timing. Read the Rules of Registration for who may register, and what format is allowed, because those rules decide whether your application is accepted.

Our sender ID checker shows the current position, and the Ireland sender ID page summarises it. Background on sender types is in our guide to sender ID types.

How do you register a sender ID for Ireland?

Follow a fixed sequence, and register before your first live campaign, not after you see warnings.

  1. List every name you send with. One per brand and per traffic type is cleaner than a single shared name.
  2. Match the name to a real entity. Use your registered business or brand name, spelled exactly as you will send it.
  3. Prepare company details and authorisation. If a provider sends for you, you will usually need a letter naming the provider. Our sender ID letter generator drafts it.
  4. Submit the registration in the ComReg registry, directly or through your provider.
  5. Check the status of each ID until it shows as registered.
  6. Test an OTP and a promotion on Vodafone, Three and Eir handsets and look at how the sender appears.

We prepare and file the registration with you; see registrations. Approval stays with ComReg, and we do not promise timelines.

Yes, treat clear, affirmative consent as required. The DPC describes the general rule for electronic direct marketing as clear, affirmative consent, and Regulation 13 of S.I. 336 of 2011 is the provision on unsolicited communications. It covers SMS as well as email and calls.

The ePrivacy Regulations contain a narrow exception for marketing to existing customers. The DPC says that if even one of its conditions is not met, the exception cannot be relied on, and one condition is that you are marketing your own products or services. Because the conditions are strict, most teams collect explicit opt-in instead.

Our regulation data adds that GDPR-compliant opt-in is required, double opt-in is the operator-preferred standard for marketing, and a STOP keyword is honoured network-wide. A safe routine is:

  1. Record consent: wording shown, date and time, channel and number.
  2. Say who is sending and what at sign-up, for example "Offers from Liffey Cycles by SMS".
  3. Include an opt-out in every promotion and process it at once.
  4. Keep a suppression list across SMS, WhatsApp and email.
  5. Never buy lists. Bought numbers carry no consent trail.

For wording, use our opt-in consent generator and read opt-in consent across channels.

Which operators carry SMS in Ireland?

Three mobile networks appear in our coverage data, each with a direct route:

Operator MCC-MNC
Vodafone Ireland 272-01
Three Ireland 272-05
Eir 272-03

Read delivery reports per operator instead of a blended rate, because a good average can hide a weak network. Our guide to improving SMS delivery rates explains how to diagnose gaps, and an HLR lookup removes dead numbers before you send.

How should you separate OTP and promotional traffic?

Keep OTPs, order alerts and other service messages on their own sender ID and route, and put promotions on another. A promotion inside an OTP puts your login codes at risk if the sender is filtered or reported.

Traffic Example Practice
Transactional OTP, payment confirmation, delivery alert No promotion inside; own registered sender ID; any hour
Promotional Sale, new product, loyalty offer Consented numbers only; opt-out in the message; daytime schedule
Mixed "Your order shipped. Get 10% off your next one" Avoid; the offer makes it promotional

For OTP content and security, read our OTP authentication messages guide.

How do English and Irish text affect SMS length?

English fits the GSM-7 alphabet, so one message holds 160 characters (153 per part when split). Irish does not always fit: the fada letters (a, i, o and u with an acute accent) are not in the GSM-7 alphabet, although e with an acute accent is. A single fada, like an emoji or a curly quotation mark, switches the whole message to Unicode with 70 characters (67 per part). See GSM-7 and concatenated SMS.

Encoding Single message Per part when concatenated
GSM 7-bit 160 characters 153
Unicode (UCS-2) 70 characters 67

These examples were counted against the limits:

Message Encoding Characters Parts
Your Liffey Cycles code is 472913. It expires in 10 minutes. Do not share it. GSM-7 77 1
Liffey Cycles: 15% off helmets this weekend, in store or online. Details: liffeycycles.example/offer. Reply STOP to opt out. GSM-7 124 1
Do chód Liffey Cycles: 472913. Ná roinn é le héinne. Unicode 52 1
Liffey Cycles: 15% off helmets this weekend, in store or online. 🚲 Details: liffeycycles.example/offer. Reply STOP to opt out. Unicode 127 2

The last row shows the cost of one emoji: the same promotion jumps from one part to two. The Irish OTP is short enough to stay at one part even as Unicode. Check final copy in the SMS character counter, and read SMS character limits and Unicode for other scripts.

When should you send?

We have not found a regulator-published time-of-day window for promotional SMS in Ireland, and our regulation data records none. Agree sending hours with your provider, schedule promotions for local daytime (Irish time, which moves between GMT and IST) and avoid late evenings. OTPs and alerts can go at any hour. The send time planner helps, and SMS marketing rules by country compares hours across markets.

A worked example: a Dublin bike retailer

"Liffey Cycles" (synthetic) has six shops and wants OTPs for its account login, repair-ready alerts and a monthly offer.

  • It registers two alphanumeric sender IDs in the ComReg registry, one for transactional and one for promotional traffic, and confirms both show as registered before launch.
  • It collects consent at the till and online, storing wording, timestamp and number, and shows "Offers by SMS" with a clear opt-out.
  • OTPs and repair alerts use plain English text well under 160 characters.
  • The monthly offer is checked against the suppression list, scheduled for the afternoon and sent without emoji so it stays at one part.
  • Opt-outs feed one suppression list that also covers email and WhatsApp.

What are the common mistakes?

  • Sending with an unregistered alphanumeric ID. Recipients see a Likely Scam label instead of your name.
  • Registering a name that differs from the one you send. Spelling and case should match.
  • Relying on the existing-customer exception. It applies only when every condition is met.
  • No consent evidence. Without a timestamp and source you cannot answer a complaint to the DPC.
  • A fada or an emoji in every message. One character turns a 160-character message into a 70-character one.
  • Mixing OTP and promotion on one sender ID.

How OmniChannels.ai helps

OmniChannels.ai is powered by BroadNet, which has direct routes to Vodafone, Three and Eir in our coverage data. We prepare and file the sender ID registration with you, support English and Irish content, and give you per-operator delivery reports, with SMPP 3.4 for high volume. For indicative list prices, see the Ireland SMS pricing page, then book a demo. Small team? Our SMS marketing guide for small businesses covers the basics.

Frequently asked questions

Is bulk SMS legal in Ireland?

Yes. Businesses send OTPs, reminders, alerts and marketing by SMS in Ireland. The conditions are a registered alphanumeric sender ID where you use one, a lawful basis for the numbers, and for marketing the recipient's affirmative consent plus a working opt-out. There is no single bulk SMS statute, so the rules come from ComReg, the ePrivacy Regulations and GDPR.

Do I have to register my sender ID in Ireland?

If you send with an alphanumeric sender ID, plan on it. ComReg's SMS Sender ID Registry applies to alphanumeric IDs, and ComReg states that unregistered ones have been changed to a Likely Scam label since 3 July 2025. Our regulation data marks registration as required. Numeric long codes are not alphanumeric IDs, so they are handled differently.

What does the Likely Scam label mean for my messages?

It means a sender ID that is not in the ComReg registry is shown to the recipient with a warning instead of your brand name. Even when the message arrives, a warning label damages trust and response. The fix is to register the exact sender ID you send with, in the exact spelling.

Do I need consent to send marketing SMS in Ireland?

Treat consent as required. The Data Protection Commission describes the general rule for electronic direct marketing as clear, affirmative consent, and the ePrivacy Regulations include a narrow exception for existing customers that applies only if every condition is met. Keep a record of when, where and how each number agreed, and take advice on edge cases.

Can I send SMS in Irish?

Yes. Irish text works on all networks, but the letters with a fada (a, i, o, u with an acute accent) are not in the GSM-7 alphabet, so a message containing one is sent as Unicode with a 70-character limit. Rewriting without fadas is not good practice for Irish, so budget for shorter messages or two parts.

How long does ComReg registration take?

ComReg has not published a processing time that we can quote, and our regulation data records none. Build in time for the registration, check the status of each sender ID before a launch and test delivery on Vodafone, Three and Eir handsets. Our team prepares and files the registration with you.

Sources

  1. ComReg: SMS Sender ID Registry
  2. ComReg: SMS Sender ID Registry Rules of Registration, Version 2.0 (27 February 2026)
  3. Data Protection Commission: FAQs on direct marketing
  4. S.I. No. 336 of 2011, European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Privacy and Electronic Communications) Regulations 2011
  5. 3GPP TS 23.038: Alphabets and language-specific information

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