3 files official complaint against Vodafone

Mobile broadband operator 3 has filed an official complaint with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) against its long-standing rival Vodafone in response to its claims on mobile broadband speed. Following an advertisement by Vodafone stating that their mobile broadband has a speed of 7.2Mbps, 3 are challenging the claim by stating that the 7.2Mbps is inaccurate and that the speeds are only available in isolated areas. According to 3, 7.2Mbps is only realistically achieved in central London and airports. Although 3 has been the leader in mobile broadband dongle sales for a long period of time, Vodafone has recently altered its tariffs to match the pioneer. Tied in with increased revenue in advertising, the gap between the two providers has closed.

Speaking on the challenge, a spokesman for 3 said: "The complexity of mobile broadband means even if you use 3.6Mbps technology it is very unlikely a customer will experience those speeds. Vodafone's 3G coverage is not as extensive as ours." However, BBC blogger Rory Cellan-Jones thinks that challenge won't result in any wrist-slapping: "...when there was similar criticism of the way fixed broadband speeds were advertised, the ad watchdog batted the complaints back to the media regulator Ofcom. A spokeswoman at the ASA told me the issue was "very complicated", indicating it was well nigh impossible to work out a fair way of describing likely broadband speeds when there were so many variables." Source: Mobile Today/ BBC