Overview

CallHippo issues Australian virtual numbers for business SMS. Because Australian telecom carriers apply strict rules to SMS traffic, every customer using an Australian number must follow the guidelines below to keep their number active and avoid delivery issues.

Scope

These guidelines apply to any virtual number issued to you through CallHippo with an Australian prefix and enabled for SMS, including use by your team, contractors, customers, or any application connected to your account.

Permitted Use

Australian numbers may be used for person-to-person (1:1) messaging — messages composed individually by a team member and sent to one named recipient who has agreed to be contacted, as part of normal business conversation. This covers use cases such as replying to a customer or following up on an enquiry.

Prohibited Use

The following are not permitted on Australian numbers, even where the content itself is otherwise lawful:

  • One-Time Passwords (OTP), two-factor authentication (2FA), or any other verification codes
  • Bulk, mass, or automated messages sent by software, a script, or an API without a person composing each message — including marketing blasts, shipping or delivery updates, payment or refund alerts, and appointment or renewal reminders
  • Marketing or promotional messages sent without the recipient's prior consent
  • Unsolicited messages, spam, or messages to numbers on the Do Not Call Register without a valid exemption
  • Messages that misrepresent who is sending them, or that are fraudulent or misleading
  • Messages relating to illegal goods or services

This list reflects current carrier and regulatory requirements and may not cover every case. Please contact our support team before sending SMS if you're unsure whether your use case fits.

Consent and Opt-Out

Customers must have valid consent from a recipient before messaging them, and should keep a record of how and when that consent was given. Opt-out ("STOP") requests must be honoured immediately.

Violations and Charges

Messages that don't follow these guidelines may be flagged by CallHippo or our carrier partners. A violation charge of USD 50 per message may apply, itemised on the customer's invoice with the date, number, and reason. Customers who believe a charge was applied incorrectly can raise a dispute with our support team along with supporting evidence, such as consent records.

Suspension

In serious cases, or where a carrier or regulator requires it, SMS may be suspended on a number without advance notice. For smaller or first-time issues, CallHippo will generally reach out first and allow an opportunity to fix the issue before any suspension.

Customer Responsibility

Customers are responsible for all SMS traffic sent from their account, including messages sent by their team, contractors, customers, or any application connected to the account.

Updates to These Guidelines

These guidelines may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in carrier or regulatory requirements. Material changes will be communicated by email or account notification.