iPad '4G' claims Face Scrutiny From UK Regulator

[spcdust]

Looks like Apple are still under the spotlight regarding their 4G claims in their World Wide advertising:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-17899912

I'm an iPad3 owner myself and have no agenda here, however I personally think this is a legitimate issue that the ASA are raising with Apple. I know that fanboys will be completely dismissive of this but Apple need to tailor their marketing to reflect the local markets. This is not about individuals suing Apple, this is just ensuring claims made, and their emphasis in marketing materials, are correct and proper and to ensure the UK consumer is not misled in any way.

 

[Menel]

I don't understand the problem.

I pull up the USA page. Goto the buy page, lists 4G LTE for ATT/Verizon.

I pull up the UK page. Goto the buy page, lists mere 4G (no mention of LTE) for Vodafone, O2, Orange, and 3.

Some googling finds that most if not all support 4G already... as Apple advertises.

"Our roll out of HSPA+ 21Mbps technology is already very advanced, and we are finalising our plans now to bring dual carrier HSPA+ technology running at the 42Mbps technical standard to the UK later this summer," a Three spokesperson told us.

Vodafone said similar of its current network: "Major cities [are] covered by theoretical speeds of up to 28.8Mbps and major towns and cities covered by theoretical speeds of up to 21.Mbps network."

An O2 spokesperson also commented, "O2's UK HSPA+ network currently provides high-speed data services to over 84 percent of the UK population at speeds of up to 14.4Mbps and 21Mbps in major cities."

 

[OllyW]

Some googling finds that most if not all support 4G already... as Apple advertises.

It's not classed as 4G in the UK.

 

[Menel]

It's not classed as 4G in the UK.

It's classed 4G by the United Nations ITU branch based in Switzerland.

They should be a member, but if not, and the UK is really that backwards and complicated... it shouldn't be Apple's problem.

 

[MacAttacka]

Bad Apple

 

[OllyW]

When a company sells it's product in another country, it has to abide by the rules and regulations in that country.

If the regulators find that they are making false claims then they will just have to make some changes to the web site and any adverts that run here. It's not a big deal.

 

[spcdust]

When a company sells it's product in another country, it has to abide by the rules and regulations in that country.

If the regulators find that they are making false claims then they will just have to make some changes to the web site any any adverts that run here. It's not a big deal.

Totally agree - it's really not that big a deal. It's just a case of Apple adjusting their marketing to comply with UK Advertising law / practices and something all companies have to do. At the end of the day it's to ensure that the average consumer is protected from real charlatan companies who may be tempted to make more outrageous claims.

 

[Menel]

Continued googling. Sounds like UK gov't is just muddling things for consumers.

4G was originally for IMT-Advanced. Of which LTE Advanced and WiiMax 2 are draft trials to qualify for.

Then way back in 2010 the ITU says 'ok guys, go ahead and call all these lesser networks (HSPA+/WiMax/LTE) 4G' since they are much faster than 3G and a good evolution for now.

UK is willy nilly ok with branding the cop out stepping stone technology LTE as 4G, but not HSPA+? Weird.

UK's citizens should be pissed at their gov't over causing them confusion.

 

[Pressure]

Continued googling. Sounds like UK gov't is just muddling things for consumers.

4G was originally for IMT-Advanced. Of which LTE Advanced and WiiMax 2 are draft trials to qualify for.

Then way back in 2010 the ITU says 'ok guys, go ahead and call all these lesser networks (HSPA+/WiMax/LTE) 4G' since they are much faster than 3G and a good evolution for now.

UK is willy nilly ok with branding the cop out stepping stone technology LTE as 4G, but not HSPA+? Weird.

UK's citizens should be pissed at their gov't over causing them confusion.

3G technology is not listed as 4G, as it appears to be in the US.

Get over it, the same applies to all countries within the European Union. The iPad is not capable of 4G, which would imply 4G LTE Advanced in EU because of the different bandwidth spectrum used.

 

[Dangerous Theory]

It's classed 4G by the United Nations ITU branch based in Switzerland.

They should be a member, but if not, and the UK is really that backwards and complicated... it shouldn't be Apple's problem.

We are way behind in the UK, because OFCOM are taking forever with the auctioning of spectrum required to house 4G/LTE network. There's plenty of quibbling going on between which MCO gets how much of the pie. It's just delays delays delays here. Sad , really.

 

[Menel]

3G technology is not listed as 4G, as it appears to be in the US.

Get over it, the same applies to all countries within the European Union. The iPad is not capable of 4G, which would imply 4G LTE Advanced in EU because of the different bandwidth spectrum used.

3G is not listed as 4G in the US. Where have you seen that?

 

[ChazUK]

3G is not listed as 4G in the US. Where have you seen that?

He is probably thinking that way as HSPA+ is considered 3G over here. From our perspective, HSPA+ is 3G, therefore we see 3G tech being categorised as 4G.

http://blog.three.co.uk/2012/02/29/leading-edge-3g-service/

It was for that reason that last year we invested millions in upgrading our network to the next generation of 3G technology: *HSPA+.*HSPA+ currently runs on the 21Mbps technical standard, meaning people can now experience download speeds in excess of 10Mbps.

Now, once again, we are going to move the game on and bring another first to the UK market.

We’re now in the process of finalising our plans to roll out what’s being described in the USA* as 4G.

But let’s be absolutely clear – this isn’t 4G as in Long Term Evolution, or LTE as it’s also known.

 

[Menel]

He is probably thinking that way as HSPA+ is considered 3G over here. From our perspective, HSPA+ is 3G, therefore we see 3G tech being categorised as 4G.

http://blog.three.co.uk/2012/02/29/leading-edge-3g-service/

HSPA+ is considered 4G by Europe. United Nations ITU branch based in Switzerland who defines the standards, puts HSPA+ under the 4G nomenclature.

USA follows Europe.

UK is sticking their fingers in their ears and dancing their own little jig.

 

[NutsNGum]

USA follows Europe.

Lolwut?

Is that the reason you guys have a variety of CDMA and GSM networks that aren't cross-compatible?

 

[BiggAW]

If the carrier calls Faux G Four G on their other devices, I don't see the issue. It's pretty well known that most HSPA+ carriers, including AT&T and T-Mobile lie about 4G.

 

[Menel]

If the carrier calls Faux G Four G on their other devices, I don't see the issue. It's pretty well known that most HSPA+ carriers, including AT&T and T-Mobile lie about 4G.

They don't lie, there is just mass confusion. Nerd raging techies have coined that new term 'faux G' in their teen anti-authority angst... Or something.

The UN establishes uniform standards and terms, ATT, Verizon, TMobile's, and Apple's marketting matches those standards. Forum trolls and apparently UK telecoms do not. It boggles the mind why some insist on such difficulty.

 

[BiggAW]

They don't lie, there is just mass confusion. Nerd raging techies have coined that new term 'faux G' in their teen anti-authority angst... Or something.

The UN establishes uniform standards and terms, ATT, Verizon, TMobile's, and Apple's marketting matches those standards. Forum trolls and apparently UK telecoms do not. It boggles the mind why some insist on such difficulty.

It's a lie. It's fundamentally a 3G network architecture that's been turbocharged. 4G is LTE.

 

[Menel]

It's a lie. It's fundamentally a 3G network architecture that's been turbocharged. 4G is LTE.

1. Who are you? Do you have some authority or credentials above and beyond the UN's ITU? No... just a troll.

2. What justification do you have to label LTE as 4G but not HSPA+. Neither meet the original definition of 4G. They were both just allowed to be branded 4G in 2010 when ITU lowered the 4G bar.

 

[BiggAW]

1. Who are you? Do you have some authority or credentials above and beyond the UN's ITU? No... just a troll.

2. What justification do you have to label LTE as 4G but not HSPA+. Neither meet the original definition of 4G. They were both just allowed to be branded 4G in 2010 when ITU lowered the 4G bar.

Wow, the trolls are out. It's well agreed upon in the community that a network is 4G iff it's LTE, maybe WiMAX.

 

[Menel]

Wow, the trolls are out. It's well agreed upon in the community that a network is 4G iff it's LTE, maybe WiMAX.

yup... funny.