Ad watchdog hits Verizon on home Internet claims

In a challenge brought by Charter Communications, Inc., BBB National Programs' National Advertising Division determined that Verizon Communications Inc. provided a reasonable basis for certain claims for its Verizon Home Internet but recommended that it discontinue or modify others.

Three primary services are included under Verizon Home Internet: Fios Home (using fiber-to-the-home), 5G Home (using mid-band and high-band 5G wireless), and LTE Home (using 4G LTE wireless). Fios Home is a wired service and 5G Home and LTE Home are fixed wireless access (FWA) internet services that connect to homes through Verizon's cellular network.

5G Claims

Verizon branded parts of its FWA service "5G Home" and "5G Home Plus." The National Advertising Division (NAD) considered the message reasonably conveyed by claims using the term "5G":

NAD found that Verizon's advertisements do not perpetuate or reinforce any misconception that 5G refers to 5 Gbps. Therefore, NAD determined that Verizon's 5G claims were not misleading because the term "5G" describes the service accurately– home internet connected through 5G mobile technology.

Fast and Reliable Claims

Applying standards used for residential broadband internet, NAD determined that Verizon provided a reasonable basis that its services were "reliable" and that the following claims are substantiated:

However, NAD concluded that Verizon failed to provide a reasonable basis that Verizon Home Internet, which includes 5G Home and LTE, is "fast" in a context that equates those services with its broadband internet services.

Therefore, NAD recommended that Verizon modify the following "fast" claims to clearly and conspicuously disclose the service (Fios Home) for which the claim is supported:

Alternatively, Verizon may clearly and conspicuously disclose that its 5G Home and LTE Home services of its Verizon Home Internet provide internet access through a mobile wireless or cellular network and that speeds may vary due to factors affecting networks.

Stream Claim

Verizon's website claims "Verizon 5G Home is fast, reliable home internet so you can game, stream and connect the way you want." NAD determined that the claim reasonably conveys the message that there are no limitations on picture quality on what consumers can stream with Verizon's FWA internet option. However, the inability to stream in 4K is material information that directly contradicts the claim of being able to stream the way you want.

Accordingly, NAD recommended that Verizon modify the claim by clearly and conspicuously disclosing that certain limitations on playback resolution may apply depending on the tier of service.

No Data Limits and Data Caps Claim

Verizon's terms of service give it the right to limit the speeds of its highest data-using FWA customers. While Verizon characterizes data limitation ability as an abuse-prevention mechanism, it is nevertheless a data limitation. As a result, NAD found that the unqualified "no data limits" or "data caps" claims for Verizon's 5G Home Internet and LTE Home Internet plans are unsupported.

Therefore, NAD recommended that Verizon discontinue its "no data limits" and "data caps" claims or modify the claims to disclose its data limitation policy.

Read the full press release here.  

BBB National Programs