# CON-043 — A mandatory phone field needs its own separate, optional SMS opt-in

> Where the phone field is mandatory for another purpose, an additional and separately optional SMS consent control is required.

- **Rule ID:** CON-043
- **Layer:** Consent flow (`CONSENT_FLOW`)
- **Checks:** `consent surface`
- **Severity:** BLOCKING — Breaking this rule gets the submission rejected outright.
- **When it bites:** Gates approval — get this wrong and registration is refused
- **How it is detected:** AI judgement over the submitted form
- **Fix type:** Fix the website — no form edit clears it
- **Required by:** FCC, CTIA, TCR
- **Applies:** Applies to every 10DLC registration.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/consent-flow/con-043/

## Why this rule exists

A phone number collected for delivery coordination is not consent to be marketed to, so the two must be separable. Businesses frequently reason that because the number is required, the consent is implied — which is precisely the inference the rule exists to block.

## How to fix it

Keep the phone field mandatory for its operational purpose, and add a separate optional checkbox for messaging consent beside it.

## Example of a compliant value

```text
Phone number (required — for delivery updates)
☐ Also text me promotional offers from Acme Coffee (optional).
```