NAD Says T-Mobile Should Drop 'Best Unlimited Network' Claims

The National Advertising Division recommended T-Mobile USA discontinue its “Best Unlimited Network” advertising claims, said a Monday news release. T-Mobile says it will appeal to the National Advertising Review Board, NAD said. NAD investigated in response to AT&T's complaint. “Wireless service providers have, for many years, claimed to be superior to their competitors in various attributes, with claims like ‘fastest,’ ‘largest,’ ‘best coverage,’ or ‘most reliable,’” NAD said. “While wireless service providers should be free to truthfully promote the advantages that their innovations provide consumers, comparative advertising claims must be substantiated to avoid misleading consumers and to ensure that wireless service providers compete on a level playing field.” NAD said T-Mobile justified its claims by offering data from two independent sources, Ookla and OpenSignal, “showing that it provided superior data speeds to its customers as compared to its major competitors.” NAD is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation and is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus. "T-Mobile has the best unlimited network for consumers and we wanted to share that with them in a simple and clear way," A T-Mobile spokesman said. AT&T didn't comment.