From PC World: The internet service industry is no stranger to somewhat nebulous claims of speed and reliability. But even in that context, Comcast’s self-styled “Xfinity 10G network” for its home internet business raised some eyebrows. After months of arguing with the cable industry’s self-regulatory agency the NCTA and the National Advertising Review Board, the company has agreed to drop the potentially misleading moniker.
While technically referring to theoretical speeds of 10 gigabits per second on the fiber optic broadband line, it seems likely that the “10G” in Xfinity 10G was carefully crafted to imply that it’s twice as fast as 5G, the current standard mobile wireless technology. Advertisements claiming it’s “next generation,” and a Super Bowl ad featuring the moon landing and boasts about accessing the network at the dentist, surely didn’t clarify things. Verizon and T-Mobile objected, as both companies offer mobile and home internet service that really is based on the 5G over-the-air standard. The competitors brought their concerns to the Internet & Television Association. This is notable, since it wasn’t consumers but other telecom companies calling foul on Comcast’s advertising.
As Ars Technica reports, Comcast has agreed to drop the promotional label after a final review by the National Advertising Review Board, yet another self-regulating agency. The NARB took issue with both the “10G” label itself to describe the network, and Comcast’s advertising of the network in service areas that couldn’t actually access the $300-a-month 10 gigabit service. Most of the customers in Comcast’s network can’t get 10 gigabit speeds without a pricey fiber optic infrastructure upgrade.
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