EU Fines Intel for 1.06 Billion EUR
Linked by Thom Holwerda on Wed 13th May 2009 10:23 UTC
Intel As was already revealed by eWeek earlier this week, the EU has imposed a massive fine on Intel for abusing its monopoly position. The fine is larger than the one given to Microsoft: 1.06 billion EUR, or 1.44 billion USD, opposed to the 899 million EUR fine imposed upon Microsoft.
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Why just Intel
by Snapper on Wed 13th May 2009 12:52 UTC
Snapper
Member since:
2005-11-16

Why fine just Intel? Surely, they had accomplices on this. Do companies in the EU not understand that when they are asked to sell one product for a discount in exchange for not offering another product that it is against the law? They should be fined an equal amount. They are guilty as well. Intel cannot do this on their own. The fine should be sufficiently heavy so they won't do it again and so that Intel and other companies cannot use the "bully" tactic as part of their business tactic.

One more question: where does all that money go from the fine? It should ALL go to the consumers who were harmed.

Edited 2009-05-13 12:53 UTC

Reply Score: 4

jabbotts Member since:
2007-09-06

If all your competition sells Intel machines at the deep OEM discount but you choose to sell AMD and Intel machines forgoing that deep OEM discount for not doing as Intel requests; your hooped. Your Intel machines sell at a higher cost or you take a noticeable smaller profit margin. Either way, your screwed compared to the other OEM vendors.

I don't think it's the company in cahoots with Intel so much as no company willing to take the risk of paying more for processors and chipsets than the other computer retailers.

Now, if there are companies that said "that's a great idea, I'd like to see only Intel chips available, let's do it!" - well, that company should be taken out behind the barn and buried beside Intel. But too many things run on Intel for it to go away without effecting the market and evidence of conspiracy with OEM vendors may be hard to come by.

Reply Parent Score: 3

RE: Why just Intel
by Bernhard on Sat 16th May 2009 07:07 in reply to "Why just Intel"
Bernhard Member since:
2008-11-12

Why fine just Intel? Surely, they had accomplices on this. Do companies in the EU not understand that when they are asked to sell one product for a discount in exchange for not offering another product that it is against the law? They should be fined an equal amount.


No. The market for home PCs is a harsh one; if you're offered a discount you don't really have a choice but to take it, or someone else will offer the same system cheaper than you. Intel knew that and made use of it.

Fining the retailers would be punishing them for being bullied.

Reply Parent Score: 1