Germany: Deutsche Telekom suit tests shareholder antitrust protection

Reports say German telecommunications giant Deutsche Telekom is likely to win a dismissal of an appeals case filed by the founders of rival Telegate, which is seeking $829 million in damages over claims Deutsche Telekom charged unfairly high prices for directory data.

According to reports, Telegate founders Klaus Harisch and Peter Wuensche are not likely to win an appeal of an earlier ruling that denied them of compensation, despite findings that Deutsche Telekom abused its market dominance by charging too high for data.

According to Judge Juergen Kuehnen, “[Telegate] founders didn’t buy the data, only Telegate did. Antitrust rules only protect consumers or buyers, not shareholders of the buyers.”

Deutsche Telekom, a former state-owned monopoly, is required by law to provide the data. Reports said he company has been facing legal action for the last 10 years over allegations it charged too much for the information.

The company was ordered in 2012 to pay back more than $130 million for the market abuse.

Full content: Businessweek

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