CLAIMS OF OVERCHARGING
Vodafone unit gets retrial in German fees fight
Kabel Deutschland battles to have lease agreement with Deutsche Telekom reduced retroactively and recoup fees worth €350m
Berlin — Vodafone’s Kabel Deutschland won a ruling at Germany’s top court, granting it a retrial in a case seeking €350m from Deutsche Telekom over claims the former phone monopoly is overcharging for the use of ducts that carry its cables. On Tuesday, the Federal Court of Justice, Germany’s highest civil tribunal, backed Kabel Deutschland’s attack on two lower court rulings that had dismissed the suit. The case will now be reheard by a panel of judges in Frankfurt. Vodafone is also seeking a ruling to cut its annual fees of €100m by up to two-thirds. The court disclosed the reasons for its ruling on Wednesday in a statement on its website. "With its high fees for the use of cable ducts, Deutsche Telekom abuses its dominant market position," Vodafone said in an e-mailed statement. "We welcome that the court followed our legal arguments." Deutsche Telekom fell as much as 0.83% in early Frankfurt trading, countering the overall trend of the country’s DAX index of blue chips, which ros...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.