Nov 19 Switzerland's competition commission fined Swisscom nearly 8 million Swiss francs ($7.88 million), saying the telecommunications provider abused its dominant position to squeeze out competitors and charge inappropriately high prices.
In a competitve bidding process for broadband services at the Swiss postal service in 2008, Swisscom set prices for intermediary services so high that it was impossible for competitors to make a final offer that could keep pace with Swisscom's bid, the regulator said on Thursday.
Additionally, Swisscom forced Swiss Post to pay inflated prices, the regulator said in concluding the company violated the country's Federal Cartel Act.
Swisscom called the misconduct allegations "incomprehensible," arguing Swiss Post struck a deal for large discounts during negotiations. It said it plans to appeal the ruling to the Swiss Federal Administrative Court. ($1 = 1.0154 Swiss francs) (Reporting by John Miller; Editing by Michael Shields)