NAD Refers Advertising for Verizon FiOS to FTC, FCC for Further Review After Advertiser Declines to Respond to Comcast Challenge

New York, NY – June 20, 2017  – The National Advertising Division has referred advertising claims made by Verizon Communications, Inc., to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for further review, after the company declined to participate in a proceeding before NAD.

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

Comcast Cable Communications challenged claims made by Verizon for its internet speeds, including:

• “Fastest Internet Available”
• “Fastest Most Reliable Internet Available”
• “Only FiOS has the Fastest Internet Available”
• “FiOS is the fastest internet available with speeds up to 500Mbps”
• “Only FiOS gives you equal upload and download speeds.”
• “Instant Internet”
• “Most People Don’t Have 50Mbps of speed.  Instant Internet is 750 Mbps.

The Competition Doesn’t Even Come Close.”

• “PC Magazine’s #1 For Internet Speed 10 Years Running.”
• “FiOS.  The Fastest Most Reliable Internet Available”
• “Get 100% Out of All Your Devices”
• “Fastest WiFi Available”
• “We are a 100% Fiber Optic Network which means the fastest Internet
  and WiFi Available.”

Given the advertiser’s decision against participation in the self-regulatory process, NAD has referred the advertising at issue to the FTC for review, pursuant to NAD/CARU Procedures.

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.