Deutsche Telekom hit with EU anti-trust fine

Brussels - EU anti-trust regulators on Wednesday slapped Deutsche Telekom and its Slovak Telecom unit with a $48m fine for "abusive" practices that shut out rival broadband Internet providers.

Over a five-year period the companies charged competitors unfair wholesale prices in breach of EU rules, a statement by the European Commisison said.

Deutsche Telekom was hit with an additional fine of €31m as a deterrent after "repeated abusive behaviour" by the company, which was fined in 2003 for similar violations in Germany.

Deutsche Telekom is a majority shareholder of Slovak Telekom, holding 51% of its shares.

The commission found that Deutsche Telekom exercised a "decisive influence" over the Slovak unit justifying the shared liability for the infringement.