10DLC by provider · Bandwidth · Critical
Bandwidth 10DLC rejected: Prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk)
Your Bandwidth registration came back rejected and it points to prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk). Bandwidth did not make that call. Here is what the reason means and exactly how to fix it.
Bandwidth showed your A2P 10DLC campaign as rejected, and the reason maps to "Prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk)". The part that trips people up: Bandwidth did not decide this. It submitted your brand and campaign to The Campaign Registry (TCR) and the carriers, they returned the rejection, and Bandwidth is relaying it back to you.
That is good news for the fix. Because "Prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk)" is a carrier and TCR requirement rather than a Bandwidth rule, the correction is the same no matter which provider you registered through: Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, Tobacco, cannabis, gambling, loans/debt, and other restricted categories are barred or heavily gated.
Where Bandwidth shows this rejection
Bandwidth shows brand and campaign registration status in its Dashboard (and via the Dashboard API), including the reason for a rejected registration. That reason comes from TCR or the carriers.
Bandwidth is the messenger, not the decider
As a direct carrier-connectivity provider, Bandwidth passes registry and carrier decisions straight through. Treat the rejection text as the carriers' words: it maps to one of the known 10DLC rejection reasons, and that is what you fix before resubmitting.
The fix
Remove restricted content, or pursue the specific carrier-approved special-use-case path if the business is in a gated vertical.
Same rejection, different provider?
The reason is identical no matter who you registered through.
Common questions
Did Bandwidth reject my 10DLC campaign for prohibited or restricted content (SHAFT / high-risk)?
No. Bandwidth submitted your campaign to The Campaign Registry and the carriers, who returned the rejection. Bandwidth relays the reason. You resolve the underlying issue and resubmit through Bandwidth. The fix here: Remove restricted content, or pursue the specific carrier-approved special-use-case path if the business is in a gated vertical.
What is SHAFT content in 10DLC?
Sex, Hate, Alcohol, Firearms, and Tobacco, usually extended to cannabis, gambling, and loans or debt. These categories are prohibited or heavily gated, and messages in them get campaigns rejected unless you use an approved special-use-case path.
How do I resubmit after a Bandwidth rejection?
Correct the issue, then resubmit the campaign for review through Bandwidth. Every resubmission is re-reviewed and re-review typically takes one to four weeks, so fix every problem before you resend rather than resubmitting to test it.