Swiss telecoms company Swisscom has been hit with a 220-million-franc (216.2-million-dollar) fine for violating competition laws, according to the Swiss Competitiveness Commission on Thursday, , according to dpa. The company, which has announced plans to appeal the decision, was found to have used its position as a market leader to try to price competitors out of the market for ADSL service, the commission reported. According to the commission, Swisscom required competitors like Sunrise, VTX and Green to pay high fees for access to broadband internet lines through the end of 2007, making ADSL business unprofitable for the companies. The commission noted that the practice also meant the service cost more, in general, for Swiss residents. Swisscom disputed the claims, arguing that changing technologies in telecommunications are forcing harsh competition in the industry.
