National Advertising Division Finds Certain Claims for Verizon Home Internet Supported; Recommends Verizon Modify or Discontinue Others

Core Viewpoint - The National Advertising Division (NAD) has determined that while Verizon Communications Inc. has a reasonable basis for some claims regarding its Verizon Home Internet services, it must modify or discontinue others based on the findings of a challenge brought by Charter Communications, Inc. [1] Summary by Category Verizon Home Internet Services - Verizon Home Internet includes three primary services: Fios Home (fiber-to-the-home), 5G Home (mid-band and high-band 5G wireless), and LTE Home (4G LTE wireless) [2] 5G Claims - NAD found that Verizon's use of the term "5G" in its advertising accurately describes the service as home internet connected through 5G mobile technology, and the claims were not misleading [3] Fast and Reliable Claims - NAD concluded that Verizon provided a reasonable basis for claims that its services are "reliable" and that consumers will receive uninterrupted service and consistent speeds throughout the day [4] Modifications Required - Verizon failed to substantiate claims that its 5G Home and LTE services are "fast" in comparison to its broadband services, and NAD recommended modifications to clarify which service supports the "fast" claims [5][6] Streaming Claims - NAD determined that Verizon's claim regarding streaming capabilities was misleading as it did not disclose limitations on playback resolution, particularly the inability to stream in 4K [7][8] Data Limits and Caps Claims - NAD found that Verizon's claims of "no data limits" or "data caps" were unsupported due to the company's ability to limit speeds for high data-using customers, recommending discontinuation or modification of these claims [9][10] Antenna Claims - NAD concluded that Verizon's claim about the presence of 5G antennas in neighborhoods is truthful and does not mislead consumers regarding the availability of multiple antenna options [11][12] Underground Claims - Verizon modified its claim about 5G Home Internet working underground to clarify the context, which NAD found reduced consumer confusion and was not misleading [13] Plan Selection Claims - NAD found that claims encouraging consumers to choose plans that fit their needs were not misleading, as consumers understand that service availability varies [14] Availability Claims - Verizon's geo-targeting of advertisements and disclosures about service availability were deemed sufficient, with no modifications necessary [15] Compliance with Recommendations - Verizon has stated it will comply with NAD's decision and take recommendations into account for future advertising, having already discontinued or modified several claims during the proceeding [16]