National Advertising Division Recommends T-Mobile Modify or Discontinue In-Flight Wi-Fi Claims
New York, NY – February 12, 2026 – In a Fast-Track SWIFT challenge brought by Verizon Communications Inc., BBB National Programs’ National Advertising Division recommended that T-Mobile US, Inc. discontinue or modify advertising claims concerning the cost of a free in-flight Wi-Fi benefit offered by T-Mobile.
At issue for the National Advertising Division (NAD) was an express claim on T-Mobile’s website stating “T-Mobile: In-flight Wi-Fi – Included; Verizon: In-flight Wi-Fi - $ 147.00/mo.” and the implied claim that Verizon customers incur $147 in monthly in-flight Wi-Fi costs, while the same service is included with T-Mobile plans.
NAD found that the challenged in-flight Wi-Fi advertising did not accurately communicate the benefit for T-Mobile customers or the cost Verizon customers would incur. The benefit for T-Mobile customers is that they have unlimited access to full-flight texting and free Wi-Fi on certain airlines through their T-Mobile plan. T-Mobile’s disclosures do not indicate which major airlines are covered by the benefit. Verizon customers do not receive such a benefit through their plan, although Verizon customers may have in-flight Wi-Fi from other sources.
NAD determined that presenting “In-flight Wi-Fi – $147.00/mo” under the Verizon column in T-Mobile’s savings calculator could convey that Verizon charges for in-flight Wi-Fi or that Verizon customers typically incur high charges for such benefit. While T-Mobile stated that it intended to communicate only what consumers would have to pay to get the comparable Wi-Fi benefit that is included in the T-Mobile plan, the manner in which the in-flight Wi-Fi benefit is presented goes beyond that limited message. T-Mobile's explanation of the benefit is ambiguous and inadequate, especially in the context of its broader savings claims.
While T-Mobile submitted evidence showing that its customers frequently use the free in-flight Wi-Fi benefit, NAD found that T-Mobile did not submit evidence to support claims regarding what Verizon customers pay. NAD concluded that T-Mobile did not meet its burden to provide a reasonable basis for the challenged claims.
Accordingly, NAD recommended T-Mobile discontinue the challenged in-flight Wi-Fi claims or modify them to clearly and conspicuously disclose the nature of its in-flight Wi-Fi benefit by communicating that the fees that T-Mobile customers can potentially avoid with their plans are those charged by certain airlines and to avoid communicating that non-T-Mobile customers typically pay the monthly cost of in-flight Wi-Fi set forth by T-Mobile in its advertising.
In its advertiser statement, T-Mobile stated that it “will comply with NAD’s recommendation with respect to its already discontinued advertising claim.”
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 may not be used for promotional purposes.
At issue for the National Advertising Division (NAD) was an express claim on T-Mobile’s website stating “T-Mobile: In-flight Wi-Fi – Included; Verizon: In-flight Wi-Fi - $ 147.00/mo.” and the implied claim that Verizon customers incur $147 in monthly in-flight Wi-Fi costs, while the same service is included with T-Mobile plans.
NAD found that the challenged in-flight Wi-Fi advertising did not accurately communicate the benefit for T-Mobile customers or the cost Verizon customers would incur. The benefit for T-Mobile customers is that they have unlimited access to full-flight texting and free Wi-Fi on certain airlines through their T-Mobile plan. T-Mobile’s disclosures do not indicate which major airlines are covered by the benefit. Verizon customers do not receive such a benefit through their plan, although Verizon customers may have in-flight Wi-Fi from other sources.
NAD determined that presenting “In-flight Wi-Fi – $147.00/mo” under the Verizon column in T-Mobile’s savings calculator could convey that Verizon charges for in-flight Wi-Fi or that Verizon customers typically incur high charges for such benefit. While T-Mobile stated that it intended to communicate only what consumers would have to pay to get the comparable Wi-Fi benefit that is included in the T-Mobile plan, the manner in which the in-flight Wi-Fi benefit is presented goes beyond that limited message. T-Mobile's explanation of the benefit is ambiguous and inadequate, especially in the context of its broader savings claims.
While T-Mobile submitted evidence showing that its customers frequently use the free in-flight Wi-Fi benefit, NAD found that T-Mobile did not submit evidence to support claims regarding what Verizon customers pay. NAD concluded that T-Mobile did not meet its burden to provide a reasonable basis for the challenged claims.
Accordingly, NAD recommended T-Mobile discontinue the challenged in-flight Wi-Fi claims or modify them to clearly and conspicuously disclose the nature of its in-flight Wi-Fi benefit by communicating that the fees that T-Mobile customers can potentially avoid with their plans are those charged by certain airlines and to avoid communicating that non-T-Mobile customers typically pay the monthly cost of in-flight Wi-Fi set forth by T-Mobile in its advertising.
In its advertiser statement, T-Mobile stated that it “will comply with NAD’s recommendation with respect to its already discontinued advertising claim.”
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 may not be used for promotional purposes.