ASCI: Airtel which claims to be the fastest 4G internet data network has been termed misleading by the advertisement industry. Advertising Standards Council of India(ASCI), has ordered the telco to stop the advertisement or change the campaign.
Acording to the consumer complaints, ASCI had asked Airtel to obey the order by October 7. The high swing ‘Airtel Challenge’ projects Airtel 4G as being the fastest network and challenged that if a consumer can find a faster data network, their mobile bills will be paid by Airtel for the rest of the life.
ASCI announced,“The Consumer Complaints Council concluded that though 4G provides better services than 3G under the same operating conditions, it is not right to claim it as ‘the fastest network ever’. The claim in the ad, ‘Airtel 4G is the fastest network ever’ and ‘If your network is faster, we will pay your mobile bills for life’, is misleading by omission in the absence of appropriate disclaimers in the print, TV, hoarding advertisements itself.”
An Airtel spokesperson said the company will seek a review of the ASCI decision. “We are engaging with ASCI to provide them with the technical data in support of our advertising claims and are following the prescribed process to schedule a review of the issue.” Airtel added that it was going by the global standards of 4G to call it the fastest network.
“4G technology is proven to deliver the fastest internet experience and the same has been accepted globally. As the only commercial provider of this world class technology in India, our advertising campaign revolves around the 4G promise of fastest internet speeds and features a set of claims that are based on rigorous test conditions,” the spokesperson added.
