AT&T sues Verizon over "there's a map for that" ads
updated 04:40 pm EST, Tue November 3, 2009
ATT claims Verizon ads misleading
AT&T on Tuesday sued Verizon for allegedly misleading customers with its "there's a map for that" ads. The complaint argues that Verizon is deliberately exaggerating the gaps in AT&T's coverage through its map of 3G networks, making it seem as though some areas have no coverage at all, not just 3G. The campaign has already had to alter maps after some earlier protests from AT&T.
AT&T representative Mark Siegel adds that Verizon's campaign is a reaction to AT&T's edge in smartphones through exclusives like the iPhone. The slogan behind the ads is a direct allusion to Apple's "there's an app for that" iPhone commercials and is intended to underscore the network problems that have undermined the success of AT&T's flagship smartphone.
Verizon's own spokesman Jim Gerace responds that its ads "clearly" warn viewers that the maps don't show other forms of coverage and contends that AT&T is simply shifting attention to coverage claims rather than the implications for the overall speed of the network, as AT&T is still finishing its 3G coverage while virtually all of Verizon's network operates on similar speeds.
Most of AT&T's fastest-network claims are based on the theoretical peak speeds of the HSDPA spec it uses, which tops out at 3.6Mbps in most areas and in a small area now tops 7.2Mbps.
The lawsuit arrives the same week as Verizon is set to launch its latest "halo" phone, the Motorola Droid, and has been running a separate set of "iDon't" ads again exploiting the iPhone's ad style to attack both the device and AT&T.
day late, dollar short
11/03, 05:01pm reply
Waiting until now to even file the lawsuit much less when it's brought up or an injunction served, does little to repair the damage already done by a highly visible television ad that's aired the last 3-4 weeks.
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pairof9s
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Jan 2008
And, so what?
11/03, 05:15pm (1 reply) reply
Truth hurts I guess. Lots of people say that AT&T is better because its GSM. Me personally, I'd rather have something that I can use in more places. The 3G maps make that obvious.
Bearcat
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Sep 2009
Oops!
11/03, 05:44pm reply
When I looked at the ATT coverage map that they flashed onscreen, I took it at face value that they had huge coverage gaps. It's easy to slip stuff like that past viewers.
iphonerulez
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Nov 2008
It's not just the 3G coverage
11/03, 06:21pm (3 replies) reply
AT&T's REGULAR coverage is so bad that no one can get service indoors at all in my town, and there are lots of places outside with no coverage either. Many of the iPhone users here have a second cell phone for emergencies because they know AT&T hardly works. AT&T should take all the $$$ they are spending on the lawsuit and direct it to improving their yucky network.
And Apple should fire them and get a decent provider.
Susan
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Apr 2002
Could it be that I only go to places with gaps?
11/03, 06:42pm reply
AT&T has never worked for me. I am ending the two-year contract tomorrow and going with the GoPhone option. AT&T is nothing but junk, so for my purpose, I just use wifi at home and at work, then go to the post office, where the tower is located, if I want to talk for more than a minute. Other than that, the phone is off and I am perfectly fine using the iPhone without paying AT&T a bloody dime.
Paul Huang
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 1999
I noticed
11/03, 10:56pm (1 reply) reply
The maps they show do seem erroneous - I've had solid 3G coverage since the 3GS release, and my area isn't on the map.
eddd
Fresh-Faced Recruit
Joined: Dec 2001
Milwaukee
11/04, 08:03pm reply
I have had few issues in the Greater Milwaukee area. Back in the Cingular days it was bad to have ATT but regular and 3G is good here. fwiw
Schatz
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Joined: Oct 2004