Vodacom gets ASA backhand

Aarti J Narsee

VODACOM has been found to be a "manga, manga" (liar, liar) after claiming to have the "best network" and the "widest network coverage in South Africa" in a television advert.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found that Vodacom could not make these claims, although it could brag of having "less dropped calls" and of providing the "best internet and calling experience".

The ASA made this ruling last week, after competitor MTN lodged a complaint about a television commercial flighted on SABC3 in October last year.

The advert featured a member of a fictional family voicing frustration over her network's dropped calls and lack of service. Another family member urges her to switch to Vodacom because it has the widest network coverage, less dropped calls, the best and fastest 3G and LTE network for smartphones, the best network in South Africa and offers the best internet and calling experience.

MTN argued viewers would assume the "disparaging remarks" about another network referred to MTN and thus the advert was intended to "devalue and trash" MTN.

MTN also said it was "impossible" for Vodacom to "substantiate the blanket, unqualified claims" it made in the advert.

"Vodacom has had ongoing difficulties with its network," it said.

MTN also did not approve of the use of the phrase "manga manga" in the advert.

But Vodacom hit back, saying with its more than 38 million subscribers, 10000 base stations and thousands of kilometres of networking infrastructure, "problems are bound to occur".

Vodacom had "the best network, not a perfect network", it said, adding that MTN was being "hypercritical".

The ASA found that while Vodacom had to retract its claims to have the best network and the widest coverage in the country, it ruled the company could claim to have "less dropped calls" and the "best internet and calling experience".

It also found that Vodacom had not disparaged other networks.

Vodacom spokesman Richard Boorman said yesterday: "We've spent more than R30-billion on our network over the past six years, so we'd expect to be able to make these kind of leadership statements."

On the widest coverage claim, he said the network "needs to do a bit more homework on substantiating the basic fact".

General manager for commercial legal at MTN, Fusi Mokoena, said: "MTN is studying the ASA ruling...and if there is a basis for appeal, it will weigh its options of doing so.