The Swiss Competition Commission (Weko) said Swisscom is misusing its dominant position by keeping coverage of the national football and ice hockey games exclusive to its own customers.
In April 2013, the commission has opened an investigation in broadcasts of live sports on pay-TV services because there was evidence of a dominant position of Swisscom and Cinetrade, who owns the sports broadcast rights.
Swisscom offers the Teleclub Sport premium channels exclusively on it own network without making it available to others, such as UPC Cablecom. Weko said that the telco indeed is misusing its dominant position.
The commission ruled that Swisscom must offer all TV platforms in Switzerland – if technically possible – an equivalent on non-discriminatory terms. It also proposes to slab a CHF143 fine on the operator, as a penalty for acting illegally.
Swisscom has rejected the conclusions of the commission and said that it had acted within the law. UPC cablecom welcomed the report and commented that viewers should not be forced to change providers in order to see national sports.
