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BT Home Hub 4 TV advert pulled for misleading WiFi claims, says ASA

BT has been forced to pull a TV advert for its new Home Hub 4, because it misled customers about WiFi interference. 

The ASA (Advertising Standards Agency) has ruled that the ad had misled viewers about the sources of WiFi interference. 

The new Home Hub 4 is a dual-band wireless router that transmits and receives data on the  2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies. Devices like baby monitors and microwaves  can interfere with WiFi signals in the home. 

BT Home Hub 4 TV advert pulled for misleading WiFi claims, says ASA
The Home Hub 4 is less susceptible to WiFi interference… but mobile phones don’t cause congestion

Read our guides to WiFi and Wireless RoutersA voice over on the advert stated: “There’s no end of things around the home that can disrupt your wireless internet … The new BT Home Hub uses smart dual band to reduce dropouts…” while on-screen text stated “signal avoids interference from non-WiFi devices”. 

While it’s true that the Home Hub 4 can use the 5GHz band to send and receive data if there’s congestion on 2.4GHz, the advert appeared to suggest that mobile phones caused WiFi interference as well. 

BT referred the ASA to a 2009 Ofcom report that concluded that household devices were the main cause of WiFi interference. 

Further clarification from Ofcom revealed that mobile phones did not create interference and so the Agency ruled that BT must not broadcast the advert again in it’s current form. 

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