PCC fines housing firm PHP 27.11M for exclusive internet deal

The Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) has fined 8990 Holdings, Inc.’s Urban Deca Homes Manila Condominium PHP 27.11USD 0.46INR 39EUR 0.44CNY 3 million due to an exclusive internet service deal.

On March 27, the PCC enforcement unit charged Urban Deca Homes Manila Condominium Corporation and 8990 Holdings, Inc. for abuse of dominance by imposing a sole internet service provider (ISP) on its residents and tenants, preventing them from availing alternative fixed-line ISPs.

In a press release published by the PCC in April 2019, they found that the company’s exclusive partnership with one ISP prevented the entry and access of other providers in Urban Deca Homes Manila. It also found that Urban Deca Homes Manila’s property manager blocked other ISPs from installing fixed-line internet on units and from marketing their services to interested residents.

In addition to the PHP 27.11USD 0.46INR 39EUR 0.44CNY 3 million fine, ABS-CBN reports that the PCC has approved terms of settlement proposed by the firms to “break” the exclusive deal between Urban Deca Homes and its in-house internet service provider (ISP) Fiber to Deca Homes in 9 projects nationwide.

“This is a landmark case for the PCC that successfully resolved to stop an anti-competitive practice, restore competition in the affected market, and set as example to deter other businesses from employing similar exclusive dealings,” PCC chairman Arsenio Balisacan said.

source: ABS-CBN, PCC