It looks like in the mobile world size really does matter. Mobile Phone network 3 is taking Orange to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over claims made by Orange that it has the biggest high-speed mobile network.

3 believe Orange’s statement misleads and confuses customers. Orange has spent £4million on its latest advertising campaign where it boasts to have the largest 3G network, covering 93% of the population. However, 3, which has the fewest customers out of the five network operators argues the largest 3G network title belongs to them. 3 complained to the ASA that customers are likely to be influenced by Orange’s latest campaign.

With the growing demand for faster Smartphones comes an equal need for networks that provide faster speeds and greater capacity. Network strength has become a major selling point for mobile phone companies.

A spokesman for 3 said: “We’re confident that we have the biggest 3G network in the UK — both in terms of geographic and population coverage — built on a 9,192-site network that grows by about 150 sites each week. It’s no surprise consumers are being confused about coverage.”

Orange, which is thought to have about 7,500 3G masts, said that its claim was based on 3’s latest figures showing that it covered 91 per cent of the population, compared with the 93.4 per cent of Orange. An Orange spokesman said: “The figure that 3 has published shows that we have a greater 3G population coverage than they do. We think that’s something to shout about and that’s why we’re telling our customers — and theirs — about it. It’s not how many masts you have; it’s where you stick them.”

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