# BRD-051 — Russell 3000 membership sets the starting carrier class

> A verified public brand on the Russell 3000 starts at the top carrier classes; one that is not starts at the bottom until it is vetted.

- **Rule ID:** BRD-051
- **Layer:** Brand (`BRAND`)
- **Checks:** `brand.company_name + the Russell 3000 list`
- **Severity:** MEDIUM — Usually survives review, but lowers your trust score or invites manual review.
- **When it bites:** Gates approval — get this wrong and registration is refused
- **How it is detected:** External record we cannot query — reported as a warning to verify
- **Fix type:** Wait on an external system or a required interval
- **Required by:** TCR, T-Mobile, AT&T, Infobip, Bandwidth
- **Applies:** Applies when the brand is a public company.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/brand/brd-051/

## Why this rule exists

The same PUBLIC_PROFIT classification produces very different throughput depending on an index membership nobody is asked about, so two public companies register identically and one can send a hundred times more than the other. Knowing which side you are on before launch is the difference between planning an external vet and discovering mid-campaign that the throughput is not there.

## How to fix it

Check whether the company is a current Russell 3000 constituent. If it is not, plan an external vet into the launch schedule rather than assuming the public classification is enough — the starting class without one is the lowest tier, not the highest.

## Check this yourself

**Is this company a current Russell 3000 constituent?**

1. Check the published constituent list — it is reconstituted each June, so a company can drop off without anyone noticing.
2. If it is not on the list, plan an external vet into the launch schedule: the starting class without one is the lowest tier, not the highest.

*What wrong looks like:* Two public companies register identically and one can send a hundred times more than the other. Nothing fails; the throughput simply is not there when the campaign goes live.

## Notes

Informational rather than a rejection: nothing fails on this. The user checks the current constituent list themselves — it is published annually and reconstituted each June — and uses the answer to decide whether to buy a vet before launch.