EU slaps a record fine on Intel

[13Gigatons]

BBC NEWS | Business | EU slaps a record fine on Intel
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8047546.stm

Computer chipmaker Intel has been fined a record 1.06bn euros ($1.45bn; £948m) by the European Commission for anti-competitive practices.

It dwarfs the 497m euro fine levied on Microsoft in 2004 for abusing its dominant market position.

The Commission found that between 2002 and 2007, Intel had paid manufacturers and a retailer to favour its chips over those of Advanced Micro Devices (AMD).

Intel has announced that it will appeal against the verdict.

Consumers should ALWAYS have unfettered access to products from all companies. We don't need Intel deciding for us.

More Information: http://europa.eu/rapid/pressRe...n%3C/p%3E%3Cspan%20id=

 

[Scouzer]

Wow. That's awesome. Owned!

I wish we had more regulatory oversight here in North America.

 

[OogyWaWa]

wouldn't be such a big deal if AMD would put out some decent chips. ever since c2d came out, AMD has been lacking big time. so sad. i loved my athlons :'(

 

[Ruptga]

Dangit, it seems this fine was actually deserved; I'll have to wait for their next suit against Microsoft to bash them again.

 

[randay]

too bad this does nothing to change the cpu landscape.

 

[OCGuy]

Originally posted by: randay
too bad this does nothing to change the cpu landscape.

Yep, this changes nothing. AMD is still in danger of going out of business, and they are still behind in everything they do.

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: OogyWaWa
wouldn't be such a big deal if AMD would put out some decent chips. ever since c2d came out, AMD has been lacking big time. so sad. i loved my athlons :'(

The problem is that Intel's practices during the heydey of the Athlon64 really prevented AMD from capitalizing on its superior architecture. AMD probably would have been better off today if Intel hadn't done so much to shut them out of the market.

It's a shame our own regulatory agencies don't seem to be interested in investigating stuff like this.

 

[So]

Originally posted by: OCguy

Originally posted by: randay
too bad this does nothing to change the cpu landscape.

Yep, this changes nothing. AMD is still in danger of going out of business, and they are still behind in everything they do.

The only time that hasn't been the case was between K6-2 and the advent of the C2D.

 

[0roo0roo]

who keeps the money? eu? or amd?
if eu..then screw them.

 

[13Gigatons]

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressRe...n%3C/p%3E%3Cspan%20id=

more information...

 

[Wnh5001]

yea, this doesn't help amd much... they should give amd a share of the monies that intel has to fork over.

 

[13Gigatons]

Originally posted by: Wnh5001
yea, this doesn't help amd much... they should give amd a share of the monies that intel has to fork over.

If this ruling stands then AMD can sue Intel for damages.

 

[PokerGuy]

I'm not one for bashing a company just because they are big or because it's trendy, but if Intel really did those things to try and keep AMD out of the hands of consumers, they deserve to get nailed.

 

[nerp]

I hope this sends INTC down so I can buy more at a lower price.

 

[RoloMather]

Ownt

 

[Aharami]

Originally posted by: 13Gigatons
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressRe...n%3C/p%3E%3Cspan%20id=

more information...

damn. thats more microsoft-like than microsoft.

 

[ViviTheMage]

Originally posted by: OogyWaWa
wouldn't be such a big deal if AMD would put out some decent chips. ever since c2d came out, AMD has been lacking big time. so sad. i loved my athlons :'(

I will agree here.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: OogyWaWa
wouldn't be such a big deal if AMD would put out some decent chips. ever since c2d came out, AMD has been lacking big time. so sad. i loved my athlons :'(

Considering Intel's anti-competitive practices, where's AMD's incentive to put more money (which they don't even have because of the aformentioned anti-competitive practices) into R&D to compete with intel?

When you basically tell computer makers to not buy a competitor's chips and they comply, any company will be screwed over.

This is a good day for the consumer (bad if you're a free market idiot)

 

[Bill Brasky]

So if intel would have only given the price cuts to these computer distributors and not specified who they could buy from, would that still be illegal?

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: Zaitsev
So if intel would have only given the price cuts to these computer distributors and not specified who they could buy from, would that still be illegal?

If they only shut out AMD because they offered a better product and/or cheaper product? Probably not, unless the government was subsidizing the price cuts (which would not make sense, since both Intel and AMD are american companies), a practice known as 'dumping'

 

[Schadenfroh]

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
who keeps the money? eu? or amd?
if eu..then screw them.

If AMD received a large chunk of it, I might actually support this fine.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
who keeps the money? eu? or amd?
if eu..then screw them.

If AMD received a large chunk of it, I might actually support this fine.

Yea so who does get it? Does anyone know?

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
who keeps the money? eu? or amd?
if eu..then screw them.

If AMD received a large chunk of it, I might actually support this fine.

Yea so who does get it? Does anyone know?

EU does. The reason is because EU consumers were hurt by the anti-competitive practices and that's the way it should be.

However, this opens the door for AMD to file a civil suit against Intel in European courts for damages.

 

[AMDZen]

Originally posted by: Phokus

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
who keeps the money? eu? or amd?
if eu..then screw them.

If AMD received a large chunk of it, I might actually support this fine.

Yea so who does get it? Does anyone know?

EU does. The reason is because EU consumers were hurt by the anti-competitive practices and that's the way it should be.

However, this opens the door for AMD to file a civil suit against Intel in European courts for damages.

Wow so the government will basically just keep it.

And this is what people in America want? LOL - fucking incredible

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: Phokus

Originally posted by: AMDZen

Originally posted by: Schadenfroh

Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
who keeps the money? eu? or amd?
if eu..then screw them.

If AMD received a large chunk of it, I might actually support this fine.

Yea so who does get it? Does anyone know?

EU does. The reason is because EU consumers were hurt by the anti-competitive practices and that's the way it should be.

However, this opens the door for AMD to file a civil suit against Intel in European courts for damages.

Wow so the government will basically just keep it.

And this is what people in America want? LOL - fucking incredible

Do I want Intel to be fined and think twice before pulling crap like this again? Hell yes.

And as has been pointed out in the other thread, this fine is based on EU sales, or in other words how much these anti-competitive practices hurt EU consumers. It will be used by EU governments and will indirectly benefit EU citizens that were victims of Intel's anti-competitive practices.

If AMD wants to sue Intel for damages, they are more than welcome to. If the US government wanted to take action against Intel on behalf of American consumers, they are more than welcome to.