This year’s October, my study assocation organized a symposium about Media and ICT. One of the readings was one of KPN, talking about the complexity of implementing the DVB-H specification into it’s network.

In fact, this was just some marketing speech for KPN and the speaker lost his face when he said “Nederland 2 isn’t broadcasted since the NPO doesn’t provide us the signal” and someone responded “I’m from the NPO and I know that KPN didn’t want us to provide that signal.”

I wanted to annoy KPN back and succeeded by cancelling and disallowing one of their campaigns. In their commercials at radio and television, KPN claims Digitenne will improve your television signal significantly. However, only if you currently have analog television, Digitenne will improve your signal. Other digital signals, like satellite or digital coax, are of equal or better quality.

As I was angered by this claim, I’ve contacted the Reclame Code Commissie (which monitors all commercials in The Netherlands) with my complaint. They’ve contacted KPN for their part and KPN’s response was that in this commercial, they’re targeting the analog signal. However, as you may have noticed, this isn’t true. Translated, the narrator says “Improved sound and picture within ten minutes with Digitenne of KPN.” It’s nowhere to be found this is only valid if you currently have an analog signal.

KPN also provided the RCC with a confidential document stating that Digitenne’s signal is an improvement of the analog signal. However, the same document states that the signal isn’t a significant improvement of the signal of other providers, so it can also be used against KPN.

The RCC discussed this commercial at their latest meeting. They agreed with me and because signal quality is “one of Digitenne’s main selling points” and the “consumer can be brought to the decision of making a transaction, which they otherwise wouldn’t have done” they consider the commercial in conflict with the ‘Reclame Code’. They’ve “recommended KPN to stop advertising in this manner.”

So, they aren’t allowed to make commercials about Digitenne’s signal quality. I consider this a success and encourage everyone to complain about a commercial if it’s annoying you, or if you consider it untrue.

I wish everyone a nice Christmas and a happy 2009!

P.S. As the documents of the RCC are considered confidential, I can’t attach them to this post.

P.P.S. I edited this post to reflect that I don’t have a real problem with KPN, as long as they tell the truth.