T-Mobile Continues to Advertise Fastest 4G LTE Network Despite Verizon Complaint

[MacRumors]

T-Mobile plans to continue advertisements where it claims to have the fastest 4G LTE network in the United States despite complaints from Verizon and a recommendation to stop from the National Advertising Division (NAD), the company told Ars Technica in a statement today.

The National Advertising Division, which aims to review advertisements for truthfulness and accuracy to settle disputes without litigation, last week said the data T-Mobile used as proof for its fastest network claim was not sufficient.

T-Mobile used crowd-sourced data from Ookla and Open Signal to support its claim, with the data collected in early 2017 around when Verizon's unlimited data plan first rolled out. Verizon complained to the NAB and said the speed tests may have included data from Verizon customers who had been deprioritized for the first time after using over 22GB of data, making them inaccurate.

The NAD agreed that the tests may have had a bias in favor of T-Mobile and recommended T-Mobile stop all advertisements claiming to have the fastest network.

T-Mobile agreed to comply with the NAD's recommendation, but was able to find new data to support the claim. Instead of basing its statement on data collected earlier this year during the time that Verizon's unlimited data plan rolled out, T-Mobile now cites new OpenSignal and Ookla data on its website collected later in 2017. T-Mobile says it plans to continue on with its advertisements using the new data.

"On the fastest LTE network challenge, NAD ruled that the one month of crowd-sourced data we submitted (when Verizon launched their unlimited plan) could not be used," said T-Mobile Senior VP of corporate communications Janice Kapner. "NAD previously recognized third-party crowd-sourced data as a way to look at network performance, so we looked at the latest results, and verified what we already knew! T-Mobile is still the fastest LTE network and we'll continue to let consumers know that!"

"We did say we'd comply with NAD's recommendation, and we will, but that means we won't rely solely on the specific data we submitted. We have taken the NAD's concerns into consideration and are confident we have robust data that addresses them and proves, once again, that we have the fastest LTE network," a company spokesperson told Ars.

As T-Mobile says, the NAD recommendation only applies to data collected during the initial test cited in Verizon's complaint and not to the new data that's been collected. Verizon can submit a new complaint, though, which will require the NAD to again take a look at the data T-Mobile is using.

While T-Mobile plans to continue to say that it has the fastest LTE network, the company has agreed to modify some other claims about its coverage. The NAD looked at the following T-Mobile claims:

- T-Mobile has near-equivalent area and/or geographic coverage as Verizon
- T-Mobile covers 99% of the area covered by Verizon
- T-Mobile covers 313,312 or "311 Million and Counting" Americans with 4G LTE
- T-Mobile "covers 99% of the Americans that Verizon covers" and 99% of Verizon's customers

T-Mobile does cover 99.7 percent as many Americans as Verizon, but it does not offer 99.7 percent of the geographic coverage that Verizon offers, so the NAD recommended T-Mobile modify its advertising to make it clear that coverage comparisons are based on population. T-Mobile says it will comply with the request going forward and will remove ads featuring imagery of geographic coverage that could be confusing.

Article Link: T-Mobile Continues to Advertise Fastest 4G LTE Network Despite Verizon Complaint

 

[Apple_Robert]

Glad to see that T-Mobile is being held responsible for its claims in advertising.

 

[shareef777]

Any wireless carrier that complains about another's advertising should look in the mirror first ... oh and look in a dictionary for the definition of 'unlimited'.

 

[applefanDrew]

T-Mobile plans to continue advertisements where it claims to have the fastest 4G LTE network in the United States despite complaints from Verizon and a recommendation to stop from the National Advertising Division (NAD), the company told Ars Technica in a statement today.

The National Advertising Division, which aims to review advertisements for truthfulness and accuracy to settle disputes without litigation, last week said the data T-Mobile used as proof for its fastest network claim was not sufficient.

T-Mobile used crowd-sourced data from Ookla and Open Signal to support its claim, with the data collected in early 2017 around when Verizon's unlimited data plan first rolled out. Verizon complained to the NAB and said the speed tests may have included data from Verizon customers who had been deprioritized for the first time after using over 22GB of data, making them inaccurate.

The NAD agreed that the tests may have had a bias in favor of T-Mobile and recommended T-Mobile stop all advertisements claiming to have the fastest network.

T-Mobile agreed to comply with the NAD's recommendation, but found a loophole with updated data. Instead of basing its claims on data collected earlier this year during the time that Verizon's unlimited data plan rolled out, T-Mobile now cites new OpenSignal and Ookla data on its website collected later in 2017. T-Mobile says it plans to continue on with its advertisements using the new data. As T-Mobile says, the NAD recommendation only applies to data collected during the initial test cited in Verizon's complaint and not to the new data that's been collected. Verizon can submit a new complaint, though, which will require the NAD to again take a look at the data T-Mobile is using.

While T-Mobile plans to continue to say that it has the fastest LTE network, the company has agreed to modify some other claims about its coverage. The NAD looked at the following T-Mobile claims:

- T-Mobile has near-equivalent area and/or geographic coverage as Verizon
- T-Mobile covers 99% of the area covered by Verizon
- T-Mobile covers 313,312 or "311 Million and Counting" Americans with 4G LTE
- T-Mobile "covers 99% of the Americans that Verizon covers" and 99% of Verizon's customers

T-Mobile does cover 99.7 percent as many Americans as Verizon, but it does not offer 99.7 percent of the geographic coverage that Verizon offers, so the NAD recommended T-Mobile modify its advertising to make it clear that coverage comparisons are based on population. T-Mobile says it will comply with the request going forward and will remove ads featuring imagery of geographic coverage that could be confusing.

Article Link: T-Mobile Continues to Advertise Fastest 4G LTE Network Despite Verizon Complaint

99% of what Verizon covers. This past weekend, I was camping about 5 miles off of I-40. My Verizon iPhone had full service LTE; buddy’s T-MO S7 has no service at all.

 

[tonyr6]

99% of what Verizon covers. This past weekend, I was camping about 5 miles off of I-40. My Verizon iPhone had full service LTE; buddy’s T-MO S7 has no service at all.

I agree. I don't know where they get these fake stats. When you do have a connection it is a abysmal 0.12 down 0.1 up in many places that you can't even stream low bitrate music.

 

[stephen1108]

I feel like... 70% of T-Mobile customers in South FL lost service during Irma while Verizon and AT&T customers were mostly unaffected.

You get what you pay for.

 

[JungeQuex]

Funny, 20 Miles south of Washington, D.C. I had zero Verizon service just outside of Fort Belvoir and T-Mobile had full LTE. Anecdotal but in my experience T-Mobile was better. Oh well, all carriers lie about what they offer.

 

[tonyr6]

Funny, 20 Miles south of Washington, D.C. I had zero Verizon service just outside of Fort Belvoir and T-Mobile had full LTE. Anecdotal but in my experience T-Mobile was better. Oh well, all carriers lie about what they offer.

But how is the speed? Bars mean nothing if simple mobile webpages won't load and timeout.

 

[lederermc]

But how is the speed? Bars mean nothing if simple mobile webpages won't load and timeout.

"Zero" service is infinitely worst than not zero service irrespective of bars.

 

[tonyr6]

"Zero" service is infinitely worst than not zero service irrespective of bars.

True phone calls work but they should not say it is the fastest when it is not.

 

[macTW]

T-Mobile is sounding more and more like that pompous frat boy in college.

 

[_Refurbished_]

But how is the speed? Bars mean nothing if simple mobile webpages won't load and timeout.

Driven all over the country last few years. More issues with Verizon speed on my GF’s iPhone....

 

[nightcap965]

Well, I'm certainly glad MacRumors is on the case. After all, the plural of "data" is "anecdote," right?

 

[Williesleg]

I have T-Mobile and love it.

At least I can talk on the phone while surfing the web.

 

[WhoDaKat]

No surprises here. T-Mobile not being true to their word. I signed up for Jump on Demand a year ago, and now its time to get my new iPhone. No issues, right? You can upgrade every 30 days. LOL, well what they don't tell you is that it should be called Jump on Down Payment, because every time you trade in for a new phone, you have to make a down payment. For an iPhone 8 Plus with 256 GB it was going to be $279! Can you imagine trying to trade your phone in every 30 days? You'd go broke with down payments. Now, who needs to trade their phone in every 30 days, but thats not the point. It is just a another example of how T Mobile is nothing different from any other carrier. They just have a loud mouth with a social media presence running the show.
[doublepost=1506988827][/doublepost]

Driven all over the country last few years. More issues with Verizon speed on my GF’s iPhone....

You must be a city dweller, because T Mo is no bueno in rural areas. Like not even roaming in some places. Just nada.

 

[jayducharme]

I switched to T-Mobile last month. I’m really happy with the price; coverage and speed, not so much. My connection usually kicks back and forth between 4G and LTE, hovering around two bars. As for speed, when I have a solid four bars it’s great. But if not, it’s pretty slow.

I’m gambling that their service (which didn’t even reach my area until a few years ago) will continue to improve and eventually I’ll be a happy camper.

 

[FelixDerKater]

PowerPC is faster?

 

[JungeQuex]

But how is the speed? Bars mean nothing if simple mobile webpages won't load and timeout.

Being that I didn’t even get any usable service with Verizon, T-Mobile won out in that case. Strange considering the location and proximity to DC.
[doublepost=1506991339][/doublepost]

No surprises here. T-Mobile not being true to their word. I signed up for Jump on Demand a year ago, and now its time to get my new iPhone. No issues, right? You can upgrade every 30 days. LOL, well what they don't tell you is that it should be called Jump on Down Payment, because every time you trade in for a new phone, you have to make a down payment. For an iPhone 8 Plus with 256 GB it was going to be $279! Can you imagine trying to trade your phone in every 30 days? You'd go broke with down payments. Now, who needs to trade their phone in every 30 days, but thats not the point. It is just a another example of how T Mobile is nothing different from any other carrier. They just have a loud mouth with a social media presence running the show.
[doublepost=1506988827][/doublepost]

You must be a city dweller, because T Mo is no bueno in rural areas. Like not even roaming in some places. Just nada.

I now live in a rural area in Michigan and get 3-4 bars of LTE on T-Mobile and have no problems loading pages anywhere in my brick house, including the basement. Strong here for sure.

 

[Septembersrain]

I really think that no carrier can claim they are the best at anything. None of them get service everywhere and none of them are always faster than another. I've seen my T-Mobile get insane speeds but also abysmal ones. I've seen the same when I had AT&T and Verizon. Only carrier I have to say really never once provided decent data speeds is Sprint. That's not going to be an issue much longer with the fact that T-Mobile and Sprint will merge.

Sprint has a ton of towers, they just have too many that are not being utilized properly. Perhaps that'll change if this is successful.

 

[ghostface147]

I have T-Mobile and love it.

At least I can talk on the phone while surfing the web.

So can I on Verizon.

 

[OneMike]

I don’t care about what carrier has hurt feelings. Just bring me the speed.

Since I had a cell phone that has never been Verizon

 

[iamaydo]

Any wireless carrier that complains about another's advertising should look in the mirror first ... oh and look in a dictionary for the definition of 'unlimited'.

Maybe you should look up the definition of ‘unlimited’ in the dictionary. Every carrier that offers unlimited data are not lying. You do get unlimited data, just not unlimited LTE. Customers get slowed down after a certain amount of data usage, but it never just stops.

 

[ray737]

Tmobile rocks!!! I dumped ATT a year ago and couldn’t be happier. Also being able to text and use data while traveling internationally at no additional costs has been priceless.

 

[ljjycss]

I have decent speed on Tmobile. Just did a speedtest at home, 90Mbps down 25Mbps up.

Edit: Tmobile VS Home internet

 

[thisisnotmyname]

Well, I'm certainly glad MacRumors is on the case. After all, the plural of "data" is "anecdote," right?

Wait, but data is plural... oh never mind, I'll not let my OCD get the best of me and just accept your joke was funny.