The Advertising Standards Authority has granted Cell C an extension to remove its controversial “4Gs” logos from advertising hoardings around the country. However, MTN is not pleased with the decision.

Cell C’s use of the term “4Gs” to describe its network was stopped in its tracks at the beginning of October when the authority ruled that Cell C’s use of the term was ambiguous.

The ruling followed a complaint lodged by the network operator’s rivals, MTN and Vodacom, both of which argued that the term could lead to confusion among consumers.

Both complainants argued that the term could be confused with a network standard a level up from the third-generation networks currently in use.

Cell C’s response that the term stood for “for great service” or “for great speed” did not hold water, the authority founds, and the company was ordered to remove the term from all its advertising.

However, getting the logo out of the public eye has proved a mammoth task for the operator and so it asked the authority for an extension to the mandatory two-week notice period it had to comply with the ruling.

Cell C’s advertising presence spans billboards, shopping malls, taxi ranks, taxis themselves and buses.

The authority has agreed that, because of the large nature of the campaign, a two-week extension is reasonable.

However, MTN opposed Cell C’s request for an extension. It argued that the request was just another way for Cell C to “exploit and gain leverage from its misleading logo”.

MTN also said Cell C appeared to have “done very little to even attempt to comply with the ruling”.

Cell C has until 4 November to comply with the ruling. — Candice Jones, TechCentral