MADRID (Thomson Financial) - A probe by Spain's competition authority has
ruled that mobile telephone operators Telefonica SA, France Telecom's Orange and
Vodafone Group Plc. unlawfully agreed to raise their fees at the same time last
year, Spanish media reported Wednesday.
The CNC authority sent copies of its findings to the three operators, the
Europa Press news agency reported citing sources close to the three firms. It
will decide later whether to fine the firms, it said.
The three companies now have 15 days to present evidence that contradicts
the competition authority's conclusions.
The CNC opened its probe into the rate increase which came into effect on
March 1, 2007, in October of that year following a complaint from a consumer
rights group.
The rate increase coincided with the coming into effect of a new law that
banned mobile operators from rounding up bills and forced them to provide
billing by the second.
The three companies agreed to increase their rates at the same time to make
up for the loss in revenues that the law would cause, the consumer rights' group
contended.
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