As the mobile internet market continues to grow we are seeing a significant increase in competition, something which has landed mobile network giant Vodafone in serious trouble with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). The ASA recently upheld a complaint against the company and an advert which claimed ?Any website, any time. œ7.50 a month'.
However, a closer look at the small print shows that this offer is only open to a small selection of phones and has a 120MB data allowance each month. ASA acknowledged that the advert seemed to suggest that the service had no limits and was available across the whole Vodafone network, when clearly it was not. While Vodafone has not been fined by the ASA it has been warned about its future conduct and ordered not to replay the advert in question again.
More than anything this episode reflects the growing importance of the mobile broadband market and the need for companies such as Vodafone to make their mark as soon as possible. Monthly plan prices are coming under serious pressure and the need to attract greater numbers of customers as soon as possible has never been more vital. This pursuit of business is highlighted by the recent 50% reduction in the cost of Vodafone dongles.