December 7, 2005
French consumer group targets mobile phone companies
French consumer group UFC-Que Choisir said it had launched legal action against leading French mobile phone operators after they were fined last week for manipulating the market for mobile phones and increasing costs for consumers. AFP reports.
"On Thursday, the French Competition Council applied a record total fine of 534 million euros (630 million dollars) on phone groups SFR, Bouygues Telecom and France Telecom subsidiary Orange for "particularly serious" collusion.
UFC-Que Choisir (meaning in English "which product to choose") believes that about30 million subscribers suffered from the collusion and that the illicit practices had generated extra costs of about 1.2 billion euros.
Patetta said that 8,500 complainants had come forward to take part in the action, of which 1,500 had fully documented records.
About 130,000 people had visited the website of UFC-Que Choisir to calculate how much they have suffered, the organisation said."
Related article: - French mobile phone firms fined
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