June 21, 2006

Cingular Wireless L.L.C. scored a split decision in its fight with Sprint Nextel Corp. over advertising claims.

The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus Inc. said Cingular was able to support its advertising claims of having the “fastest national wireless data network”.

The Council of BBB also said Cingular has “the largest push-to-talk network in America.” The NAD added that the nation’s largest wireless operator could legitimately claim to have “more bars in more places.”

But the NAD refuted other Cingular marketing messages, including the assertion that it “offers the broadest and deepest portfolio of wireless business solutions” and that “our people and partners make wireless work for more businesses than any other wireless carrier.”

The NAD also recommended Cingular discontinue its claims that Sprint Nextel’s push-to-talk offering doesn’t include availability management and quick-group-calling capability.

The rulings follow Sprint Nextel’s complaint with the NAD regarding Cingular’s claims to have the fewest dropped calls of any U.S. wireless carrier. The NAD dropped the review of that claim last month when Cingular asked a federal court in Atlanta to validate the assertion. The case is pending.

The NAD is an investigative arm of the advertising industry’s voluntary self-regulation program. Funding for the group is derived from membership fees paid to the Council of BBB.

Source: RCR News