Comcast is suspending the “Xfinity 10G Network” brand to describe its internet service after a National Advertising Review Board (NARB) panel found that the term could lead consumers to think that Comcast’s mobile and broadband services will offer faster speeds than the current generation. networks. Comcast rivals T-Mobile and Verizon was challenged Branding with the National Advertising Division (NAD), the ad industry watchdog that recommended Comcast get rid of it in October 2023. Comcast’s confusing branding is at the heart of the problem: “5G” refers to mobile Internet, while “10G” typically refers to 10-gigabit broadband speeds delivered to homes via physical infrastructure.
On Wednesday, NARB he said It said it agreed with the NAD’s decision and recommended that Comcast “discontinue the use of the 10G term ‘Xfinity 10G Network’ in the product service name and when used as a 10G descriptor to describe the Xfinity network.” NARB found that the branding could mislead consumers into thinking that “10G” offers significantly faster speeds than current-generation 5G networks.
The NARB also ruled that using “10G” to refer to home broadband, as Comcast does, is wrong because consumers will assume they will get 10 gigabit internet speeds on each Xfinity connection. Actually, like Ars Technica showngetting those speeds requires getting a fiber-to-the-home connection from Xfinity, which costs hundreds of dollars more in monthly fees, installation, and activation over Xfinity’s regular cable broadband plans.
One statement According to Comcast’s filing with NARB, the company has agreed to stop using misleading branding in its marketing. “While Comcast strongly disagrees with the NARB’s analysis and approach, Comcast will stop using the ‘Xfinity 10G Network’ brand and will not use the term ’10G’ in a way that misrepresents the Xfinity network itself,” Comcast said.
However, the company said it still “reserves the right” to use both “10G” and “Xifnity 10G” in ways that “do not misrepresent the Xfinity network itself,” so both terms are yet to appear in Xfinity’s marketing. expect it to appear as well. , just hopefully in less misleading ways.
