# OPS-152 — One recognisable number per programme

> A business or programme should send from one primary, recognisable source number.

- **Rule ID:** OPS-152
- **Layer:** Operational (`OPERATIONAL`)
- **Checks:** `programme to source number mapping`
- **Severity:** MEDIUM — Usually survives review, but lowers your trust score or invites manual review.
- **When it bites:** Falls due after approval, once you are live and sending
- **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:** T-Mobile
- **Applies:** Applies to every 10DLC registration.
- **Canonical URL:** https://ekas.io/rules/10dlc/operational/ops-152/

## Why this rule exists

Recognition is the consumer's only defence against smishing: somebody who knows the number their pharmacy texts from can tell a fake from a real one. A programme that sends from a rotating set trains its own customers to accept messages from unfamiliar numbers, which is precisely the habit the industry is trying to break.

## How to fix it

Send each programme from one number and publish it, so customers can recognise and save it. Done when a customer could tell you which number your texts come from.

## Check this yourself

**Could a customer tell you which number your texts come from?**

1. Send each programme from one primary number and publish it so customers can recognise and save it.
2. Reconcile this against any pool you operate: a pool is legitimate for capacity and still argues for one primary number per programme rather than a rotating presentation.

*What wrong looks like:* A programme sending from a rotating set trains its own customers to accept messages from unfamiliar numbers — precisely the habit that makes smishing work.

## Notes

Sending configuration. What the user has to reconcile is this against any pool they operate — a pool is legitimate for capacity and still argues for one primary number per programme rather than a rotating presentation.