The National Advertising Division (NAD), a division of BBB National Programs, has sided with T-Mobile on some of its advertising claims, while disputing others.

The NAD is a branch of the BBB that helps ensure accuracy in advertising by providing dispute resolution and self-regulation. The challenge to T-Mobile’s advertising claims about its 5G service was lodged by Verizon.

The NAD found that T-Mobile’s claims that its 5G is faster than its 4G, or competitors’ 4G was accurate. Similarly, the NAD found that T-Mobile’s claims that its 5G service offered better coverage than other providers’ 5G was also accurate.

In spite of those wins, the NAD did recommend that T-Mobile alter or discontinue other claims. For example, it recommended T-Mobile stop implying its 5G was superior to 4G in other ways, such as reliability. Similarly, the NAD “recommended that T-Mobile discontinue the challenged claim that its 5G service is generally available in locations that have traditionally been challenging for cellular service (or disclose, clearly and conspicuously, the typical performance of T-Mobile’s 5G).”

The NAD also recommended T-Mobile stop using demonstrations that implied other carriers’ 5G coverage footprint was as small as a city bench. The NAD also recommended T-Mobile stop comparing coverage to Verizon’s in the “Rock Stadium in Miami shortly before the Super Bowl and the related implied claim that T-Mobile’s current 5G network consistently provides no signal loss, decrease in signal strength, or reversion to 4G LTE service”

This is just the latest spat between the carriers, as each tries to check the others’ advertising. The NAD recently ruled against Verizon, and the BBB’s National Advertising Review Board (NARB) upheld an unfavorable NAD ruling against AT&T. T-Mobile has said it will appeal the recommendation. We will provide an update once the NARB rules.