Overview
- Telekom changed the usual network identifier on many customers’ phones to the slogan “Im besten Netz” as part of a January 2026 marketing campaign.
- The Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband sued, arguing the change was non-consensual, confusing for users and could not be turned off on affected devices.
- The Landgericht Köln found for the consumer group and ruled the practice an unacceptable nuisance that unlawfully used the phone’s network-name display for advertising.
- The court order is not final because Telekom has filed an appeal with the Oberlandesgericht Köln, leaving the legal outcome and any binding precedent unresolved.
- If upheld on appeal, the ruling could force carriers to stop using system-level UI fields as ad space and prompt clearer rules on consent and user control over in-device marketing.