Canada's Competition Bureau confirmed on Thursday that it is investigating Apple's contracts with wireless carriers to determine whether they violate the country's anti-trust laws, reports CNET. The investigation is in the early stages, with the Bureau filing a court order to compel Apple to supply documents that will assist with its investigation.
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Apple is being accused of including clauses in its contracts with wireless carriers that would hinder competition. No official charges have been filed against Apple, and the Bureau has yet to find evidence supporting the initial anti-competitive allegations raised by unnamed sources.
"There is no conclusion of wrongdoing by Apple Canada Inc. at this time, and no application has been filed with the Competition Tribunal or any other court to seek remedies for any alleged anticompetitive conduct," [Competition Bureau Gregg] Scott said, without identifying how the contract allegations came to the bureau's attention. "Should evidence indicate that the Competition Act has been contravened, the Commissioner will take appropriate action."
If the Competition Bureau finds evidence that Apple violated Canada's Competition Act, the Cupertino company will be asked to change its practices or face sanctions by the Competition Tribunal. In the past several years, Apple has faced similar anti-trust allegations over its iPhone distribution terms from both the European Commission and France's DGCCR.
Update: On January 6, 2017, Canada's Competition Bureau said it "did not find evidence to suggest that the Apple terms resulted in a significant effect on competition," as reported by Reuters.
Top Rated Comments
(View all)You've come to the right country!
Even Cabada wants a piece of Apple pie.
Where's Cabada?
No, I have never, ever, made a ypto myself!
the big three have a monopoly
Um no. By definition if there are more than 1, it is not a monopoly. Oligopoly is the word you are looking for.man... every time MR comes out with a story about T-Mobile or Verizon or ATT slashing prices and offering unlimited this or that... i get jealous... :(
I am so with you on your statement. I see those commercials from the US about doubling the data for free or 2 phones on a plan for the price we pay for just 1 phone, makes a grown man almost want to cry. But all of us here in Canada know that it is not Apple who is controlling the cost of our plans.Does not matter what smartphone you get, whether it be a Samsung, Blackberry, Nexus, iPhone and so on.