“Verizon spokesman Jim Gerace says it is holding firm: ‘What we are saying doesn’t change,'” Cauley reports.
“What Verizon has been saying is this: AT&T’s advanced ‘3G’ wireless coverage is paltry in comparison with Verizon’s. Its ad campaign, launched in October, features side-by-side coverage maps. The ads, which sparked AT&T’s initial lawsuit, say Verizon has five times more 3G coverage than AT&T,” Cauley reports. “AT&T doesn’t dispute the accuracy of the maps, but it says they are misleading. It says ‘white space’ in the maps, which denotes no 3G coverage, could be read to mean that AT&T has no coverage at all in those areas.”
Cauley reports, “In its own ads, AT&T claims to have the nation’s ‘fastest 3G’ network… [and the company] says it reaches 75% of the population with 3G.”
Full article here.
AT&T’s complaint in full is here.
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “Jack F.” for the heads up.]
The problem with having the iPhone for Verizon, is that they will force to dumb down the iPhone. Take control of its development and wrestle the features that Apple wants to implement away from them. Until Verizon learns to treat Apple products with a nearly hands off approach, Apple will never let the iPhone on their network.
Isn’t it time for AT&T;to release a misleading map of its own, instead? Pick a data transfer rate threshold that is below EDGE speed, but above whatever Verizon uses for its 2G network.
If I was the judge I’d rule for ATT. You could give them the benefit of the doubt on the first ad but the holiday ads are clearly intended to falsely imply that you can not use data services outside of 3G coverage. “good luck browsing the web with that” …oh thats subtle NOT!
Waauugh! Mean ol’ Verizon is point out our flaw! Waauuggh!
The maps are accurate, they clearly state 3G coverage. The fact that the average cell phone user doesn’t know what 3G means isn’t the fault of the advertisers. Sorry, I don’t see where AT&T;has any room to stand on this.
Wow! two 12 year olds in the last two comments. Do your research before you pass judgement. ATT is in the right to defend for misleading information from Verizon.
ATT is running scared. Those executives saw the new holiday versions of the “maps” theme and started pissing in their pants. They fear Verizon smells blood and might keep the ads fresh on the air all year round (which, if they’re smart, will be exactly what they do).
By the time ATT could come up with a counter campaign, the damage has already been done. Plus it probably wouldn’t be nearly as clever as the Verizon ads. So you do the next best thing: run to the courts with sweat dripping from your brow.
A lot of people thought ATT’s ‘more bars in more places’ was misleading… advertising is a slippery slope.
and @Jubel, we of course know that Apple will in no way dumb down the iPhone to suit Verizon. Apple has the upper hand and v-cast would only appear on the iPhone as perhaps an app.
Just shows how incredibly effective those ads are.
“Hey Big Gummint, we hate it that you try to keep the net neutral. We’d love to charge the consumers more, just like we charge them extra for SMS. But hey, that bad Verizon is saying bad things about our 3G coverage. Help us!”
And to think they used to be part of the same company.
@ jjjj
Exactly. So people stop asking for Apple to give in to Verizon. The last thing you want is Verizon to control the iPhones capability and feature set.
What some of you bar room lawyers seem to fail to realize is that a lie by ommision is still a lie. Although It is 100% technicly correct it is still 100% misleading.
Verions recent vitriol and droid flogging is simply a childish outburst resulting from the mobile worlds worst miscalculation.
I think AT&T;should rename their EDGE and 3G networks 5G and release new maps.
AT&T;would have 100% more coverage.
@skripo
Although It is 100% technicly correct it is still 100% misleading.
And still a 100% effective so let them fight fire with fire.
If I were ATT I would unleash an outrageous attack on Verizon and make THEM beg for government intervention. Beat them at there own game.
I would attack the robotic phone, the goofy dude with glasses, and the Alltel feak, and end the commercials with
CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW!
Y’all need to get over it. Why so bitter? You have an iphone, enjoy it, stop worrying about the other guys. Frankly, who cares. Are you happy with what you have? If so, shut the heck up. Nobody cares about you or you’re whining. Go outside, get a life. Smile and play with your iphone.
Or they could just say what is good about att?!? Why not say your good points instead of calling names or attacking. Verizon is showing what they are strong in, coverage. att should say what they are good at, fight fire with fire.
Fight lies with the truth? Now there’s a novel idea.
I don’t think they are lying, the mark the map correctely for 3G coverage. But why not show a map that shows something like … where we cover, we are 3 times faster (whatever the number is). Then maybe 2 iphones side by side and say ‘this is the wepage on att’ show a page rendering, then go to the other iphone (leave it off) and say ‘this is the iphone on verizon …
Oh well, that the way I would. You show you are faster where you cover, and the other guy does not have your toy.
@ @g4
Then maybe 2 iphones side by side and say ‘this is the wepage on att’ show a page rendering, then go to the other iphone (leave it off) and say ‘this is the iphone on verizon …
that’s not bad. The cut-scene showing a second phone with a dark screen and a blank map, is good, I get that, so perhaps you should go into marketing. I know Microsoft really struggles in this area and could use your ideas.
Cheers!
Nah, like being an rf engineer too much. Now if apple would let me work on the airport extreme …
Verizon defenders, you might want to take a look at this to cool your enthusiasm: http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/12/verizon-how-much-do-you-charge-now/
@Gabriel
What is the normal cancellation fee for a cell phone contract in the U.S? I live in Canada, so I find this quite interesting. All of our contracts are 3 years, not two, and cost 400$ to get out of, regardless of whether it’s a smartphone or not. Hell, if your with Rogers and have a data plan, they’ll charge you an extra 100$ to cancel the data plan on top of the 400$ for the plan. God help the Canadian cell phone market!
@Gabriel
It’s not defending in the way you seem to be thinking about it. It’s nothing against att, it’s just a few thing for me.
1. verizon has better coverage where I am, so I use them. att just got 2 county permits for towers next year so they will improve.
2. more iphones is a good thing (yes, I own apple stock).
3. If some move to verizon from att, more bandwidth for the rest in those areas.
I see it as win win for everyone.
Verizon’d ads are accurate…
In the past, AT&T;’s were not….
Remember the ads where AT&T;claimed ‘The Fewest Dropped Calls”? A complete BOGUS claim as anyone who has AT&T;knows….
Verizon did the correct thing & took it thru the FTC complaint process rather than take it to court. AT&T;had to pull the ads as a total LIE after the FTC ruling…
Then AT&T;ran the ads claiming the ‘Best Coverage’, another BOGUS claim…. After Verizon complained, AT&T;had to change the ads to say ‘For The Best Coverage Worldwide’ as their US coverage is nowhere near as good as Verizon’s…
Just look at their abysmal quality ratings in JD Powers & Consumer Reports annual surveys of network quality. They are either SECOND TO LAST, or DEAD LAST in EVERY region of the country for service quality….
If they pursue this, I’m sure Verizon will use the opportunity to parade out all the deceitful ads AT&T;has run over the years….