Court hears AT&T, Verizon ad fight today

A federal court today will consider the fate of a Verizon ad campaign that features side-by-side wireless coverage maps showing it has five times more 3G coverage than AT&T. AT&T isn't contesting the accuracy of Verizon's claim, but says the ads are misleading. Verizon, in its legal response, says AT&T is suing because the "ads are true, and the truth hurts." AT&T wants the court, which will hear arguments today, to force Verizon to pull the five ads. Three are holiday themed. Regardless of the outcome, legal experts say the lawsuit has put a spotlight on an even bigger problem for wireless consumers: the reliability of ad claims in general. Trying to win customers, carriers are increasingly bending the truth or omitting facts in ad campaigns, says Joel Kelsey, a lawyer with Consumers Union. All carriers do it, he says.