Intel is no longer a monopolist

Chipzilla has finally ended a long cycle of defending itself against antitrust claims, with the last case against it finally dismissed.

The New York Attorney General dismissed the last antitrust suit against Intel which was filed in November 2009. This complaint said that Chipzilla had bribed or coercing computer makers to secure exclusive agreements for its computer chips.

The dismissal did not come without a price tag for Intel. According to Law.com, Intel will have to write New York a cheque for $6.5 million to help cover some of New York’s litigation costs. However it did not have to admit liability or alter its business practices.

A trial on the case had been scheduled to start today, but a ruling by Delaware federal district court judge Leonard Stark last December meant that it was better for both sides to settle. Stark decided that the state could not bring claims under the Donnelly Act, a state statute that allows for treble damages for injuries suffered by the state. This was because the allegations all involved injuries to private individuals and companies, rather than to state agencies or officials.
Other anti-trust claims were spiked under the statute of limitations.

It has been an expensive legal process for Intel. In 2008, South Korea’s antitrust regulator hit Intel with a $25.4 million fine for anticompetitive behaviour against AMD. Next year the European Commission hit Intel with a record $1.45 billion fine for unfair competitive practices against AMD. In November 2009, Intel settled a lawsuit brought by the Federal Trade Commission, promising to change its business practices while not admitting liability.

Source: Fudzilla