In National Advertising Division Challenge Cincinnati Bell Voluntarily Discontinues Certain Claims for Altafiber

New York, NY – December 19, 2023 – In a BBB National Programs National Advertising Division (NAD) challenge brought by Charter Communications, Inc., Cincinnati Bell, Inc. voluntarily discontinued certain advertising claims for its altafiber that compared cable to fiber.   

The challenged claims, which appeared online and in print, included claims disparaging cable and touting the alleged superiority of fiber over cable (specifically the superiority of Cincinnati Bell over Charter) as to reliability, speed, and other performance metrics. 

Although Cincinnati Bell contended that NAD did not have jurisdiction to consider this challenge because the challenged advertising was targeted to consumers in a single market, NAD determined that it has jurisdiction over the challenged claims because the advertising appeared on the advertiser’s website and in a YouTube video, and targeted an audience that is larger than populations NAD has previously concluded were sufficiently substantial to support NAD review. In addition, the advertising at issue concerns Charter’s service, which is available nationally. 

Because Cincinnati Bell agreed to permanently discontinue all challenged express claims, and, as a result, also permanently discontinued the challenged implied claims in the context in which they appeared, NAD did not review the claims on their merits. 

In its advertiser statement, Cincinnati Bell stated that it “disagrees with NAD’s conclusion that it has jurisdiction over this matter but appreciates NAD’s recognition that Cincinnati Bell has permanently discontinued the challenged claims.”

All BBB National Programs case decision summaries can be found in the case decision library. For the full text of NAD, NARB, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive. Per NAD/NARB procedures, this release shall not be used for advertising or promotional purposes.