A mandatory phone field needs its own separate, optional SMS opt-in
The requirementstatement
Where the phone field is mandatory for another purpose, an additional and separately optional SMS consent control is required.
- Severityseverity
- BlockingBLOCKINGBreaking this rule gets the submission rejected. There is no partial credit.
- When it bitesphase
- Gates approvalapprovalGet this wrong and the brand or campaign is refused at registration.
- What is checkedobject
- consent surface
- Where it liveslayer
- Consent flowCONSENT_FLOW
- How Ekas settles itdetectability
- AI · formAI_FORM
- A semantic question about what you wrote: whether a description matches a use case, whether a name looks like a filed entity. Judged by a model against written criteria.
- What the fix involvesfailureClass
- Fix the websiteTERMINAL_WEBSITE
- The fix lives on your site. No amount of rewording the form clears it.
- Who requires itauthorities
- FCCCTIATCR
- When it appliesapplicabilityText
- Applies to every 10DLC registration.
Why this rule existsrationale
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 itremediation
Keep the phone field mandatory for its operational purpose, and add a separate optional checkbox for messaging consent beside it.
A compliant exampleexample
Phone number (required — for delivery updates) ☐ Also text me promotional offers from Acme Coffee (optional).
Rules you will hit next
6 other rules read consent surface. Fixing one field to satisfy a single rule is how a resubmission trades one rejection for another, so read these before you change anything.
CON-108The disclosure must be on the same page as the phone-number fieldBlockingBLOCKINGCON-AGE-GATEAge-gated programs require real age verification at opt-inBlockingBLOCKINGCON-BOX-BUNDLEDMessaging consent must be separate from terms acceptanceBlockingBLOCKINGCON-BOX-PRESENTAn explicit affirmative opt-in control must existBlockingBLOCKINGCON-BOX-UNCHECKEDThe consent control must be unchecked by defaultBlockingBLOCKINGCON-DISC-ADJACENTDisclosures must appear at the point of opt-in, not only in linked documentsBlockingBLOCKING
CON-043 is one of 101 consent flow rules in the 915-rule 10DLC registry. Free to cite under CC BY 4.0.