Dish Network LLC, doing business as Boost Mobile, said that it will comply with BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division’s recommendations that it discontinue or modify certain advertising claims. The claims pertain to the breadth of its 5G coverage, comparative benefits, and claims that its network is new.
The company said today that although it disagrees with some of NAD’s recommendations, it will incorporate them into future advertising. The challenge was brought by T-Mobile.
T-Mobile and Boost Mobile are rival wireless providers operating nationwide. Boost Mobile achieves coverage for 99% of the U.S. population through a combination of its proprietary 5G network, which serves 80.08% of the population, and roaming agreements with T-Mobile and AT&T, which allow its customers to access these networks seamlessly.
At issue is that certain regions lack 5G coverage for Boost Mobile users, because the carrier’s roaming partners do not offer comprehensive 5G connectivity in those areas, leaving customers with only 4G or LTE service.
NAD concluded that the Boost Mobile advertising claims challenged by T-Mobile conveyed messages suggesting that Boost Mobile’s network provides 99% of Americans with 5G coverage and offers comparative benefits over competitor networks, including faster speeds and lower latency, within the context of their advertisements.
The Division found these messages to be unsupported, explaining that while Boost Mobile substantiated its claim of 99% nationwide coverage (including 98% with 5G), it failed to adequately support the claims that 5G specifically covers 99% of the country, whether through its own network or roaming partners.
NAD also recommended that Boost Mobile stop describing its network as “new” or “newest,” citing Federal Trade Commission Guidance that limits such claims to a six-month period. It also concluded that the “America’s newest” claim implied performance superiority that was unsupported by evidence.
During the time that the case was being decided, Boost Mobile voluntarily discontinued certain claims permanently, NAD reported. They said that these unreviewed claims will be treated, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended that they be discontinued.
Last July, Boost Mobile announced that it supports more towers than any other carrier and has a footprint that covers 99% of the United States.
