Stampa

Antitrust authority closes Sky Italia investigation and accepts company commitments


PRESS RELEASE


PRESS RELEASE


TV: ANTITRUST AUTHORITY CLOSES SKY ITALIA INVESTIGATION AND ACCEPTS COMPANY COMMITMENTS TO ENSURE THIRD-PARTY OPERATORS ACCESS TO SATELLITE PLATFORM

A decision was taken by the Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato in a meeting held on 07 July 2010 to accept as binding the commitments submitted by satellite TV operator Sky to ensure third-party access to its technical platform. The Antitrust Authority concluded its investigation into the possible abuse of dominant position after deliberating that the commitments undertaken are adequate to create the conditions, based on the principle of non-discrimination, for access to its satellite platform.
More specifically:
1)    Sky broadcasting divisions will operate under the same conditions as all other third-party operators without being able to rely on lower charges;
2)    Sky undertakes to clarify and divulge its terms so as not to dissuade competitors from making an initial application for access to its platform. Sky also undertakes to inform interested parties of such terms via a continuously updated section of its website in which it also specifies main lump-sum activation, periodic and pay-TV and  pay-per-view charges for wholesale access to its platform;
3)    access contract negotiations with potential operators shall be conducted promptly and within set deadlines so as to prevent Sky from adopting protracted, obstructionist negotiating methods.
The investigation was launched following a complaint by television broadcaster Conto TV in which it reported that the economic conditions practised by Sky for the purchase of services required to access its satellite platform were not defined transparently and involved higher charges than those reserved to Sky’s internal divisions. These conditions are considered as having reduced the capacity of Conto TV to make competitive bids for the purchase of content of particular strategic and commercial importance, such as football broadcasting rights, within the pay-TV market.

Rome, 19 July 2010