Cingular can say it has "more bars in more places"

The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (NAD) and investigative arm of the advertising industry's self-regulation program ruled that Cingular Wireless could legitimately claim that it has "more bars in more places." Cingular received a split decision from the NAB in its fight with Sprint Nextel over advertising claims. NAD said Cingular was able to support its advertising claims of having the "fastest national wireless data network" as well as "the largest push-to-talk network in America." But, it rejected Cingular's assertion that it "offers the broadest and deepest portfolio of wireless business solutions," and that "our people and partners make wireless work for more businesses than any other wireless carrier." NAB also recommended that Cingular discontinue its claims that Sprint Nextel's push-to-talk offering doesn't include availability management and quick-group-calling capability.

But the biggest claim Cingular makes is what's ruffling feathers, and not just Sprint Nextel's. Sprint Nextel had made an earlier complaint with the NAD over Cingular's claims that it has the fewest dropped calls of any mobile operator. The NAD dropped the review of that claim last month when Cingular asked a federal court in Atlanta to validate the assertion. The case is pending there.

To read more about the NAB's recommendations about Cingular's ad claims:
- here's an article from RCR Wireless News