What's Happening?
Beginning January 1, 2024, T-Mobile is instituting three new fees for non-compliant traffic that result in a Severity-0 violation. A Sev-0 (Severity-0) represents the most harmful violation to consumers and is the highest level of escalation with which a carrier will engage with Bandwidth.
This applies across all messaging products — SMS, MMS, Short Code, Toll-Free, and 10DLC — that traverse T-Mobile's network.
Non-compliance fines will be assessed for every Sev-0 violation issued. Repeated violations may result in brand suspension and removal of platform access.
Non-Compliance Fine Tiers
Phishing, Smishing, and Social Engineering
Social engineering refers to the practice of targeting individuals in a way that manipulates them to reveal private information like credit card numbers or social security numbers. This is the most severe category and carries the highest fine.
Illegal Content
Content must be legal in all 50 states and federally. Illegal content includes, but is not limited to, cannabis, marijuana, CBD, illegal prescriptions, and solicitation.
All Other Violations
This includes, but is not limited to, SHAFT (Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco) content and other prohibited contact types. Review the T-Mobile Code of Conduct Section 5.2 for a full list of disallowed content.
What You Need to Know
If traffic continues to receive Sev-0 violations, carriers maintain the right to suspend a brand and remove access to their platforms. Additionally, our service provider or TORO may block traffic to protect the network and other customers.
This means that non-compliant messaging does not only risk fines — it can result in a complete loss of your ability to send SMS messages through the platform. For tobacco retailers who rely on text messaging for customer engagement, promotions, and loyalty programs, this is a serious operational risk.
What You Need to Do
Ensure that all traffic leaving your network is wanted and compliant.
Review the following resources to make sure you are following the most up-to-date messaging requirements:
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Review the T-Mobile Code of Conduct
Pay special attention to Section 5, "Prohibited Campaign Content," which outlines all content categories that are not allowed on T-Mobile's network.
Read the T-Mobile Code of Conduct -
Follow Your Agreed SMS Workflow
When you set up the SMS Module with TORO, you agreed to a specific messaging workflow designed to keep your traffic compliant. Make sure you and your staff are following this process consistently.
Review Your SMS Workflow
Key Takeaway
Compliance is not optional. T-Mobile's new fine structure means that every non-compliant message carries a direct financial penalty on top of the risk of losing messaging access entirely.
If you have any questions about whether your current messaging practices are compliant, reach out to the TORO team. We are here to help you stay within the guidelines and avoid unnecessary fines.