[Hands0n]

This could never happen here ............ could it? or has it? Such similar tariff structures make one wonder though. Expect more such revelations as the EU lifts the stone and sees what is underneath.




Three of France's leading mobile phone firms have been fined a total of 534m euros (£364m; $630m) after being deemed guilty of market collusion.
France's Competition Council concluded that Orange, SFR and Bouygues Telecom shared commercial information between themselves, distorting competition.

Orange France has been fined 256m euros while SFR and Bouygues have been handed 220m and 58m fines respectively.

The three firms have denied that they compared and fixed their prices.

'Significant damage'

The fine is the largest single penalty levied by the competition watchdog.

In 2000, it fined eight banks a total of 174m euros.

The Council said the three firms had regularly exchanged commercial information about the mobile market between 1997 and 2003.

This enabled the firms to protect their position in the market, the Council said, to the detriment of consumers.

Their actions had caused "significant damage" to the economy, it added.

The three firms may appeal against the verdict, which followed a lengthy inquiry by the competition regulator.

Orange is owned by France Telecom while SFR is owned by Vivendi Universal.

France Telecom is already appealing against a 80m euro fine, imposed earlier this year, for barring access to the wholesale broadband market.




Article source here --> http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4487430.stm

[Ben]

Is there anything to say other than 'ruddy French'? Add in that 80m euro fine and it soon becomes clear where our monthly bills are being spent :) I'm sure it'd be lovely for all companies in every market to create a happy medium that suits them all, stiffling real competition and giving consumers a bum deal, but I'm glad that someone is keeping their eye out for it. The ruling should send a pretty strong message through the industry and perhaps business in general.

[Hands0n]

What really strikes me, Ben, is that [even in this great nation of ours!] there is even a need for regulatory bodies to oversee companies (private and government). It truly goes to show that greed rears it head at every turn. All of these companies are dragged kicking and screaming into any sembelance of honour and honesty. None of them deserve any mercy from Governments, Committees and Regulators. Left to their own devices they have amply shown that they cannot be trusted to run a even boot fair trestle table.

Don't get me going, I'll only start swearing :D

[Hands0n]

Hee hee :D This is so to the point and timely



Orange has launched a new music service that enables its punters to add more bells and whistles to their phones. Calling Tunes, as it's known, lets Orange punters choose music to play callers while they wait for the phone to be answered.

So instead of the ringing tone, callers might hear Stiff Competition by Cheap Trick or Won't get fooled again by The Who, or Roy O's Crying.

Pour quoi? Well, Orange, which is owned by France Telecom, was fined €256m (£174m) yesterday by France's competition commission (along with two other cellcos) for rigging the mobile market.
In light of this hefty fine, which the cellco has said it plans to appeal, Orange might want to reconsider increasing the £2.50-a-go charge for its Calling Tunes service. ®



Article source: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/12/02/orange_tunes/

[fat jez]

Just remember that Orange UK is one of the few parts of France Telecom to be making money. Expect your phone bills to be assisting in paying that fine for quite some time...

Cheers,
Jez