EU questioning carriers over Apple's iPhone contract demands
Regulators at the EU's European Commission have sent out a nine-page questionnaire to smartphone carriers questioning Apple's tactics regarding iPhone contracts between the carriers and the company, according to the Financial Times. The questionnaire comes two months after European regulators began looking into whether Apple's contracts with carriers could be seen as anti-competitive. As the Financial Times reports:
The nine-page questionnaire sent to telecoms groups primarily relates to sales practices, including whether Apple forces groups to buy a minimum number of iPhones, restrictions on the use of marketing budgets and clauses that ensure Apple is always offered no worse subsidies and sales terms than other smartphone makers.
It also asks whether Apple places technical or contractual restrictions on the iPhone 5 that mean it cannot be used on high-speed 4G networks in Europe.
The EU carriers have until June 17 to answer the questionnaire. After that time the regulators will look at the answers and decide whether to formally investigate Apple over its contractual practices.
