The Austrian competition authority has received information from
whistleblowers concerning parallel price increases by mobile
operators A1, Magenta and Drei, who all plan to increase their
mobile and internet tariffs in March. While this might appear to
signal collusion, parallel behaviour is allowed. The simultaneous
price hikes are therefore not evidence of impermissible agreements
restricting competition, which is why the competition authority (as
well as the telecom regulator) will take no immediate enforcement
action. Market participants having further information on alleged
impermissible collusion are referred to the authorities'
whistleblowing hotlines. For now, the regulators have invited the
telecom companies to a roundtable to explain the situation and
safeguard effective competition going forward.
