Joe Maring / Android Authority
TL;DR T-Mobile has been asked to remove misleading ads that could lead consumers to believe its plans are much cheaper than the competition’s.
T-Mobile disagrees with the ruling, but said it would remove the ads in question.
Verizon brought the complaint against T-Mobile’s “Switch and Save” ads, which promise 20% savings compared to “the other big guys.”
An advertising watchdog has asked T-Mobile to take down its “Switch and Save” ads, ruling that the price comparisons with AT&T and Verizon could mislead consumers into believing they are actually saving money by choosing T-Mobile over its competitors.
The National Advertising Review Board (NARB), an appellate body of BBB National Programs’ advertising self-regulatory system, upheld an earlier decision from the National Advertising Division (NAD), which was summoned by a complaint from Verizon.
The T-Mobile ads in question claimed that “families can switch and save 20% vs. the other big guys’ plans plus streaming services” and “Switch and save versus AT&T and Verizon’s comparable plans plus streaming.”
Adamya Sharma / Android Authority
NARB found that the “plus streaming” phrase was too vague and that T-Mobile’s price comparisons involved adding the cost of the optional streaming services to its competitors’ plans in order to match the streaming services offered for free by T-Mobile with its own bundles.
The board said this wording was likely to lead many consumers to believe that subscribing to T-Mobile’s plans would actually save them on plan costs without adjustments for added perks.
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