Bell Aliant takes Rogers to court

Bell Aliant is squaring off against Rogers Communications Inc. in a New Brunswick court over what it says are misleading advertisements touting the speed and reliability of Rogers internet service.

Bell Aliant filed a claim Monday in the New Brunswick Court of Queen's Bench in Fredericton alleging that Rogers's assertion that its internet service is faster and more reliable than that of other providers is false.

Bell Aliant, which operates in the Atlantic provinces and parts of Ontario and Quebec, is asking the court for an immediate injunction to stop Rogers from making those claims in its advertisements.

Last year, Bell Aliant announced it would spend $60 million to outfit 70,000 homes and businesses in Fredericton and Saint John with fibre optic technology by mid-2010.

In 1996, New Brunswick was where Bell Aliant tested its high-speed internet service before rolling it out elsewhere.

Regardless of what the ads say, everyone has their own preference when it comes to internet providers.

Bell Aliant customer Oliver Dueck said he's tried both Bell and Rogers.

"Previously, I was a Rogers customer for a while, and then when I moved to my new home, I switched to Bell Aliant simply because it was faster," he said.

Matthew Valentini, a computer consultant in Fredericton, said the war of words between Bell and Rogers is just that.

"Both companies are currently selling internet connections that are faster than their networks in New Brunswick can support. So, they're just using that number to entice you into purchasing their services," Valentini said.

"The latest claim is that Rogers no longer has the fastest and most reliable network. In fact, I would think both companies' reliability is well up to consumer standards, and I would not see that as something to worry about."

Bell Aliant isn't the first to take on Rogers over advertising claims. Telus sued Rogers in a similar case recently and won.