Vodafone, Orange and Movistar probed by Spanish antitrust authority

Spain's three major mobile operators are being investigated by the country's antitrust authority, CNC, following a complaint by BT Spain.

The CNC said it launched a probe into the alleged anti-competitive behaviour of Vodafone, Orange and Movistar after BT Spain accused them of working to reduce the operating margins on MVNO deals.

The government body said in a statement carried by El Economista: "There is evidence that the operators abused their dominant position, either individually or collectively, in various markets in the mobile telephony sector."

UK-based BT said it had been encountering issues when it tried to expand its business into the profitable enterprise segment by the high price of wholesale and the termination of national calls. The BT Spain complaint also involves the CNC looking into the tariffs charged for the rental of antennas by the three operators.

The CNC stated that the investigation into the alleged wrongdoing must be closed within 18 months.

For more:
- see this El Economista article (translated via Google Translate)
- see this Dow Jones Newswires article

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