A plan to block suspected scam text messages has been delayed amid ongoing concerns over technical issues.
The communications regulator, ComReg, launched a new system earlier this year which saw messages from unregistered sender IDs labelled as 'likely scam' from July.
However, many phone users had raised concerns about legitimate text messages being incorrectly labelled as potential scam.
It was planned that unregistered messages would be blocked from 3 October but that has now been deferred with the 'likely scam' modification remaining in place for now.
In an update on its scam text response, ComReg said it has worked closely with industry parties, Participating Aggregators (PAs) and Participating Mobile Service Providers (MSPs), to resolve a number of technical issues they were facing with their systems and processes.
"While the majority of industry parties have now resolved technical issues, there remains a number of PAs with outstanding matters," ComReg said.
The regulator added that there is a potential but avoidable risk for consumers if ComReg and industry was to advance to the next step at this time.
"Therefore, and out of an abundance of caution, ComReg will defer the commencement of the blocking phase, thereby maintaining the 'Likely Scam' modification requirement, until it can be satisfied that the outstanding matters are addressed," ComReg said.
The regulator manages the SMS Sender ID Registry and oversees the registration process.
In its update today, ComReg said that 16,784 Sender IDs have been registered by over 12,466 organisations.
"The SMS Sender ID Registry continues to function without issue, and applications for new Sender IDs continue to be approved promptly," ComReg said.
