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 38 million euro ($48 million) 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 31 million euros 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 percent of its shares.

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