AMD and VIA stoke EC Intel fire – EBN

AMD and VIA were behind the complaints which led to the European Commission's anti-competition investigation of Intel, Electronics Buyers News claims.

Incidentally, AMD and VIA are supposed to have jointly filed their EC complaint against Intel, according to EBN. Does this mean that there is a new rapprochement between the two companies, or simply that they hate Intel even more than they loathe each other?

Citing "sources close to (eight month-old) investigation", EBN notes that the EC has the power to fine Intel up to 10 per cent of its worldwide revenue as the price of continuing to business in Europe. That's if Intel's found guilty, of course. Besides the EC will take years to come to a conclusion over the fairness of otherwise of Intel marketing programmes such as its Intel Inside funding kickbacks for system builders.

In common with every commentator on this investigation, EBN reckons that the European COmmission will end up agreeing with the US Federal Trade Commmission, which ruled that all was fair with Intel's business practices.

But why should this be so? The European Commission may be bureaucratic, but it is perfectly capable of making up its own mind, as recent decisions over MCI Worldcom's abortive takeover of Sprint, and AOL's (successful) takeover of Time Warner show. And neither does the EC have any particular desire to be seen as America's poodle.

Intel may still end up on the winning side, again, but in the meantime, AMD and VIA have everything to play for. ®