Vivendi's Mobile Unit SFR To Appeal Antitrust Fine

PARIS -(Dow Jones)- Vivendi Universal's mobile phone unit SFR said Thursday it will appeal the decision of France's antitrust regulator to fine the company EUR220 million for price-fixing.

In a statement, Vivendi's SFR said it was "deeply shocked" by the decision and called the fine "disproportionate and unfounded."

France's antitrust authority, the Conseil de la Concurrence, Thursday imposed its largest-ever fine, levying a combined EUR534 million on the country's three mobile network operators, France Telecom's Orange, Vivendi Universal's SFR and Bouygues SA's Bouygues Telecom, for market collusion.

Following the verdict, Orange announced early Thursday it would appeal the fine, which it called "unfounded" and "seriously disproportionate."

-By Laetitia Fontaine, Dow Jones Newswires; +33 (0)1 40 17 17 40; laetitia.fontaine@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 1st December 2005