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Should T-Mobile Stop Claiming It Has 'Best Unlimited Network'? (arstechnica.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the claim-to-fame dept.

An anonymous reader writes: Speed isn't everything, or is it? According to a report from Ars Technica, the National Advertising Division (NAD) says T-Mobile should stop claiming that is has "America's Best Unlimited Network" because it needs to prove it also has the widest geographic coverage and best reliability. T-Mobile is saying that speed outweighs all other factors.

"T-Mobile's claim is based on data from Ookla and OpenSignal, which offer speed-testing apps that let consumers test their wireless data speeds," reports Ars Technica. "Both Ookla and OpenSignal have issued reports saying that T-Mobile's speeds were higher than Verizon's, AT&T's, and Sprint's. The OpenSignal tests also gave T-Mobile an edge over rivals in latency and 4G signal availability." T-Mobile "did not provide evidence that its network is superior in providing talk and text mobile services or in providing high-speed data more reliably or to a greater coverage area," the industry group's announcement said.

3 of 55 comments (clear)

  1. T-Mobile by DaMattster · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you're going to target T-Mobile for false advertising, you might as well go after a whole lot of other corporations as well. Advertisements are well known to stretch the truth. I have T-Mobile and it is the best bang for your buck, by far. It's not the best unlimited network and it's not the worst either. If Ookla and OpenSignal consistently report higher speeds than the others, I would call that a pretty resounding endorsement.

    1. Re:T-Mobile by youngone · · Score: 4, Insightful
      Maybe I'm just a grumpy old bastard, but all advertising seems like a total pack of lies to me.

      The older I get, the more I see it as propaganda, designed to manipulate people into doing things that are bad for them.

      I am not American, but the ISP's and mobile providers where I live are no different.
      Also we have a whole lot of fishing industry propaganda on TV at the moment, as they have been getting bad press because they continue to destroy fish stocks and lie about it, then get caught.
      People seem to just shrug it off as "just a PR campaign" as if PR and Propaganda are not exactly the same thing.

      BRB, just off to get the revolution started.

  2. T-unlimited mobile is all good all right by ElitistWhiner · · Score: 4, Informative

    I've used ATT, Verizon, CellularONE and it's T-mobile that have the best mix of price, availability and coverage here in CALIFORNIA. Rarely and I do mean rare is the case that I can't get signal. AND if I don't my partner's Verizon doesn't either; most of the time along the Pacific Coast.

    Gone are the ATT node management, compression and dropped calls. Gone is the less than friendlies at Verizon and its hostile billing practices that would add charges without notice. T-mobile really does have unlimited, great call clarity and coverage that equals or betters its competition.