Cox Communications said this week that it would modify its “powered by fiber” marketing campaign to make plain that the company’s internet division does not actually offer fiber to the home. The company’s about face comes after the National Advertising Division agreed with a challenge brought by AT&T
Cox offers two different fixed broadband internet services: Cox Fiber, a residential internet service that is 100% fiber, including fiber to the home. The other, Cox Internet, is almost entirely fiber to the node close to residences, but the “last mile” uses coaxial cable instead of fiber. These services do not overlap. The customer’s location determines which service they can purchase.
NAD determined that “powered by fiber” reasonably conveys the messages that Cox Internet is comparable to fiber internet, offers customers fiber optic internet connections to their homes, and offers an advanced fiber optic network. But since a coaxial and a fiber network are equivalent in performance to all consumer-relevant metrics, NAD recommended that Cox modify its “powered by fiber” claims.
Cox responded that it would comply with NAD’s recommendation, adding that it “appreciates NAD’s recognition that Cox may continue to advertise that Cox Internet is Powered by Fiber,” and while it “disagrees with certain aspects of NAD’s decision, it is a strong supporter of advertising self-regulation.”
The news comes exactly a year after AT&T lost another challenge over Cox’s marketing practices, when the NAD agreed that Cox’s “gig-speeds everywhere” did not violate its guidelines.
