AT&T files with the National Advertising Division, complaining about Verizon's ad claim

Verizon Wireless has asked a U.S. court for a judgment that it's claim to be "America's Most Reliable 3G Network" be considered a truthful statement. The reason behind this unusual request is a filing made by rival carrier AT&T. The latter firm went to the National Advertising Division of the Council for Better Business Bureaus and said that Big Red's statement was false and misleading because the claims could not be supported by evidence. Verizon Wireless said its statements of having"America's Most Reliable 3G Network" and "America's Best 3G Network"and "America's Most Reliable Wireless Network" are "truthful, accurateand substantiated" and do not violate the trademark law known as theLanham Act. Verizon adds that AT&T is incorrectly using "speed" as an important element in determining if a network is reliable.

AT&T spokesman Mark Siegel disagrees and says that, "Verizon's claim that speed is not a relevant factor to a reliable3G network is preposterous. Data network speed is an essential factor to consumers when itcomes to data transmission on their wireless devices. The 3Greliability claims made in ads by Verizon Wireless are false andmisleading."

So is Verizon correct and speed has nothing to do with how reliable a network is, or is AT&T correct when it claims that network speed is relevant to the debate?

source: Reuters