Verizon Sues Alltel Over Guinea Pig Ad

Verizon Wireless is suing rival Alltel for false advertising over a television commercial featuring a vicious guinea pig, the Register reports. In the ad, a caged rodent named Alice is compared to Verizon customers who lack the freedom to change calling plans without extending their contracts. Released from her cage, Alice goes for the jugular of a Verizon rep. Verizon says that it no longer requires customers to extend contracts.

The ad began running when Verizon did prohibit its customers from changing their plans. After the company altered its policy in October, it urged Alltel to pull the ad. Last year Verizon had to pay $1 million for misleadingly touting its wireless plan as "unlimited." (More Alltel stories.)