Vodafone faces German probe over suspected obstruction of 1&1 (updated)

1&1 AG

02/06/2023 10:17

(Adds Vodafone statement, details, background)
       BERLIN, June 2 (Reuters) - Vodafone  VOD.L  and its
German subsidiary Vantage Towers are facing an antitrust
investigation in Germany over concerns that it may have
contributed to United Internet  UTDI.DE  subsidiary 1&1's
sluggish roll-out of radio masts, the regulator said on Friday.
        "Powerful and dominant companies must not unfairly
impede other companies. We will therefore scrutinise whether
there are sound reasons for a delay in the provision of antenna
locations for 1&1," Andreas Mundt, president of the Federal
Cartel Office, said in a statement.
  
        Vodafone said in an emailed statement to Reuters that it
continued to firmly reject the accusation and would cooperate
closely with the authorities. Vantage Towers did not immediately
respond to an emailed request for comment.
  
        1&1 is trying to establish itself as a top
telecommunications provider in Germany but has so far built only
    a fraction
     of its targeted 1,000 radio masts.
  
        In February, it filed a complaint with the cartel
office, blaming the slow progress on Vantage Towers and claiming
that the company had not fulfilled its obligations as a partner
in developing shared infrastructure.
  
    

 (Reporting by Rachel More and Hakan Ersen, Editing by
Friederike Heine)
 ((rachel.more@thomsonreuters.com;))