New York, NY – Jan. 4, 2017 – Frontier Communications, Inc., said it has permanently and voluntarily discontinued challenged advertising claims for its Internet service, which is delivered via DSL copper-wire technology or through FiOS Internet networks purchased from Verizon. The National Advertising Division has recommended Frontier discontinue certain performance claims. The claims at issue, made in print and Internet advertising, were challenged before NAD by Charter Communications, Inc.

NAD is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. It is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

Frontier explained that it provides a variety of services to residential customers over its fiber-optic and copper networks and that it strives to be a leader in providing communications services to its customers in its markets.  The advertiser advised NAD that rather than submit substantiation for its claims, it had elected to permanently discontinue the challenged claims, including:

• “Frontier can handle multiple devices.”
• “Connect all your devices with blazing-fast speed.”
• “Frontier home Internet plans include enough speed to handle movie streaming at show time.”
• “Frontier Internet is enough to handle all you do online… You name it online, you can do it with Frontier.”
• “Frontier plans give you the fast speeds you need.  That’s plenty of bandwidth for video conferencing, streaming, downloading and more.”
• Every tier of Frontier’s DSL Internet Service is able to stream SD and HD movies without buffering.
• Every tier of Frontier DSL Internet service is able to support every device in a household with blazing fast speed.
• Every tier of Frontier’s DSL service has plenty of bandwidth for video conferencing, streaming, downloading and more.
• “There are five ways to connect your home to the Internet: dial-up, cable, DSL, fiber-optic, and satellite.  Fiber-optic Internet is by far the fastest.”
• “Fiber-optic Internet delivers smoother streaming.”
• “Everything is faster with Frontier FiOS.  Videos stream faster. Email attachments load quicker.  Music and pictures are yours in less time.  Internet is just better with Frontier FiOS.”
• “Video chats stream faster with fiber optics.”
• “Less buffering and less lag means less time waiting for websites to load and more time enjoying your Internet.”
• “Frontier Internet starts at $19.99/month.”
• Fiber-to-the-home Internet service is always faster than cable Internet service.
• Fiber-to-the-home Internet services delivers superior end-user performance.
• Fiber-to-the-home Internet service delivers superior end-user performance because it is fiber.
• FiOS Internet service is available for $19.99/month.
• Frontier Communications services is rated 4.7/5 stars, based on 230 new customer reviews.

The voluntarily discontinued claims will be treated, for compliance purposes, as though NAD recommended their discontinuance and the advertiser agreed to comply.

NAD also reviewed the advertiser’s modified advertising and recommended that Frontier discontinue its claims that consumers with Frontier High Speed Internet will do “practically anything you and your family needs” and that customers with such connections need “never worry about” their Internet connection.

NAD further recommended that Frontier discontinue its claims that Frontier FiOS downloads faster, streams easier, is more reliable or otherwise delivers end-user performance that is superior to cable, and refrain from making comparative performance claims about the superiority of FiOS to cable due to its network architecture.

Finally, NAD recommended that Frontier modify its advertising to clearly and conspicuously disclose that Frontier DSL Internet service starts at $19.99/month and make clear that Frontier FiOS service is not available at the advertised price.

Frontier, in its advertiser’s statement, said the company has “reviewed its advertising and has implemented NAD’s recommendations. Frontier will also take NAD’s recommendations into consideration for future advertising. Frontier appreciates the opportunity to resolve the differences between Frontier and the challenger through NAD’s process.”

Note: A recommendation by NAD to modify or discontinue a claim is not a finding of wrongdoing and an advertiser’s voluntary discontinuance or modification of claims should not be construed as an admission of impropriety. It is the policy of NAD not to endorse any company, product, or service. Decisions finding that advertising claims have been substantiated should not be construed as endorsements.