Vodafone said that it is complaining that KPN delayed Vodafone’s nationwide introduction of Vodafone’s competing TV, fixed-line broadband and fixed-line telephone offer by three years.
It said the Dutch incumbent failed “repeatedly to meet its commitments to deliver the technology needed”.
It added: “KPN owns and operates the Netherlands’ only nationwide telephone network — using copper lines to connect households and businesses across the country — as well as the country’s largest fibre-optic network. Other operators without the benefits of this nationwide fixed-line infrastructure must rely on KPN’s network in order to compete.”
It complains that while it was waiting, KPN launched a comparable package and gained market advantage.
Vodafone added that its action is “in line with similar legal actions by Vodafone and regulatory authorities in other European markets where incumbent operators have abused or are suspected of abusing their dominant positions”. It listed incumbent operators in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Slovakia, Spain and the UK.
KPN spokesman Stijn Wesselink told Reuters that the company not yet received a copy of Vodafone’s complaint.
