French telecoms operator Orange has been ordered by a Paris court to pay local rival Digicel nearly €250 million (US$280 million) in compensation for anti-competitive practices in the French Caribbean, reported Reuters.
The Paris Appeals court ruled last week that Orange must pay Digicel €181.5 million euros in damages and €68 million in interest, a spokesman for Orange said, confirming a report by Capital magazine earlier on Friday, June 19.
It is the biggest single financial penalty to be paid by the Paris-based group and the company is considering whether to launch an appeal in France’s highest court, the Cour de Cassation, the spokesman said.
After a first ruling in 2017, Orange set aside €346 million in an escrow account to cover the cost of compensation.
The case dates back to the early 2000s, when state-controlled Orange dominated the telecoms markets in Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana.
Full Content: Reuters
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