Better Business Bureau’s National Ad Div. (NAD) ruled in favor of...
Better Business Bureau’s National Ad Div. (NAD) ruled in favor of AT&T in ad dispute with Verizon. AT&T filed complaint in spring saying Verizon’s long distance ads were deceptive because they didn’t indicate consumers had to pay Universal Service…
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Fund (USF) fee. Ads, which since have been changed, touted Verizon’s 10 cent per min. plan and said there are “no hidden charges,” claim AT&T challenged because USF fee wasn’t disclosed. Verizon contended it didn’t need to reveal USF fee because it was tax-like surcharge and consumers knew about it. NAD said it was “concerned that the commercial at issue failed to disclose what NAD believed to be material information to the consumer.” It said USF charge varied from month to month depending on size of consumer’s long distance bill and “had the potential to significantly affect the total monthly charges.” As result, “disclosure was required,” NAD concluded.