Phones Canada recently reported on a recent complaint filed by AT&T against T-Mobile to the National Advertising Division (NAD), the advertising industry’s self-regulatory body. AT&T took issue with T-Mobile’s claims of having the “best” 5G network and pricing, as well as being the “most reliable” 5G network. NAD requested T-Mobile to modify these claims and stop making immediate benefits promises resulting from the merger with Sprint.
In a recent press release from the Better Business Bureau National Programs, NAD also addressed T-Mobile’s claim that subscribers who download the T-Mobile Tuesdays app can watch “every regular season [Major League Baseball] game live or on demand.” NAD asked T-Mobile to clarify which categories of live games are available with the MLB.tv benefit and to cease making the claim without specifying that these games are “out of market” games.
T-Mobile Park, the stadium of the American League’s Seattle Mariners, was featured in the article. However, the NAD’s request to modify T-Mobile’s claims and the Yankees or Mets games example were still included. The NAD found that T-Mobile’s claim implied customers could watch all regular season games live, which is not accurate.
T-Mobile, in response to NAD’s decision, expressed its compliance and appreciation for NAD’s recognition of the voluntary changes made to address AT&T’s concerns. AT&T was the company that submitted the complaint against T-Mobile.
It is important for T-Mobile to accurately convey its offerings and avoid making claims that may mislead customers regarding the availability of certain benefits. The NAD plays a vital role in ensuring fairness and transparency in advertising practices.
