Cablevision (NYSE: CVC) sued Verizon (NYSE: VZ) in federal court in New York, alleging that Verizon made false and misleading claims about the MSO's Wi-Fi service in its ads. Verizon has run TV and radio commercials in the New York metropolitan area claiming its Wi-Fi is "the fastest Wi-Fi available" from any local provider.
"Verizon's claim that it has faster Wi-Fi than Cablevision is false, deceptive and designed to mislead consumers," a Cablevision statement reads. "Verizon has no public Wi-Fi network. In addition, Verizon's in-home routers are not faster than Optimum Smart Routers and cost Verizon customers hundreds of dollars while Optimum's are free. It is not a coincidence that Verizon is making false Wi-Fi claims just as Cablevision is introducing its all-Wi-Fi Freewheel phone, which will allow consumers to avoid Verizon's data caps and excessive data overage fees."
A Verizon spokesperson told FierceCable that while the company has not the seen the lawsuit, Cablevision's litigation "is a boldface ploy to promote Cablevision's latest wireless gambit. A third party has tested and validated the FiOS Quantum Gateway Router. It offers the fastest in-home Wi-Fi available from any provider. As usual, Cablevision is confusing consumers by using apples to oranges comparisons, in this case of in-home and public Wi-Fi." Article