Apple still under UK spotlight over '4G' iPad claims

The UK's advertising authorities are still dissatisfied about Apple advertising its new iPad as a 4G device, according to reports.

The new iPad does work on 4G networks, but only in the US and Canada. Apple has already agreed to refund customers in Australia over the issue, but unlike Australia or North America, the UK does not even have commercial 4G networks.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said at the end of March that it was looking into a few complaints over the matter. Now, according to the BBC, Apple has made some concessions but the ASA remains unhappy with the results.

"If it appears that the problem claims we asked Apple to remove are still appearing. We will investigate these new complaints," an ASA spokesperson was quoted as saying.

It appears that the original complaints dealt with a specific page on Apple's UK website, and that the company did remove the 4G references from that page and from a promotional video. Nonetheless, the site still advertises certain iPad models as "Wi-Fi + 4G", alongside the logos of the major UK operators.

In the UK, spectrum needed to run 4G services will only be auctioned at the end of this year, although Everything Everywhere will be able to 'refarm' its 2G spectrum for 4G earlier, if Ofcom gives its definitive approval.

Even then, the UK will not use the same frequencies for 4G as the US and Canada do. In the UK, the relevant frequencies will be 800MHz and 2.6GHz, and possibly 1800MHz and 900MHz. The new iPad will only do '4G' on the 700MHz and 2.1GHz frequencies.

When not using 4G, the new iPad uses the fastest variant of 3G, with a theoretical maximum download speed of 42Mbps. True '4G', technically known as LTE, has a maximum of 100Mbps.