Is Limited Unlimited Service False Advertising?

from the define-unlimited dept

Just last month, we wrote about people getting kicked off Verizon Wireless' high speed EVDO network for using the "unlimited" network too much -- raising the question of how you could use too much of something that was being advertised as unlimited? Glenn Fleishmann, as per usual, has done a nice job looking into the limited unlimited plans offered by the big three mobile operators -- though, Sprint's terms and services are apparently not readily available. Still, the big issue isn't really being discussed: isn't having your marketing team proudly selling "unlimited" service, while your lawyers limit it very much in the extremely fine print, a clear-cut case of false advertising? The operators and their supporters say they need to limit use to protect the network. That may be absolutely true -- but, if that's the case, then they shouldn't advertise it as unlimited. If they can't actually deliver unlimited service, they shouldn't be selling it.