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Telekom forbidden from using network display for advertising
The Cologne Regional Court (Landgericht Köln) has prohibited Deutsche Telekom from replacing the standard 'telekom.de' network identifier on customer smartphone displays with the advertising slogan 'Im besten Netz' (In the best network).
The legal action was initiated by the Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv), which characterized the January advertising campaign as an unfair practice. The court ruled that the design constituted an 'unreasonable nuisance to market participants,' noting that the network display serves as a technical connection indicator rather than a decorative element. The vzbv argued that the forced advertisement caused confusion among users, some of whom questioned if their devices or connections were malfunctioning.
Telekom has announced it will appeal the decision to the Higher Regional Court (OLG) of Cologne. In a statement, a Telekom spokesperson defended the slogan, asserting that the company possesses the 'by far best' 5G network in Germany, a claim they believe is credible and supported by independent tests. The ruling is not yet legally binding.
Entities
Cologne · Deutsche Telekom · Landgericht Köln · Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Telekom claims to have the best 5G network in Germany. www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Cologne Regional Court prohibited Telekom from replacing the 'telekom.de' network display with a slogan. www.it-boltwise.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Telekom has filed an appeal with the Higher Regional Court (OLG) of Cologne. www.it-boltwise.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Federation of German Consumer Organisations (vzbv) sued Telekom Deutschland GmbH. www.it-boltwise.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] Telekom replaced the network identifier with 'Im besten Netz' in January. www.it-boltwise.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.wz.de
- [● 3 SOURCES] The court ruling is not yet legally binding. www.it-boltwise.de · www.leinetal24.de · www.wz.de