INTEL APPEALING ANTITRUST FINE

By M.S.Welles

Intel Corp. will appeal the European Commission's $1.44 billion levied for violating antitrust laws.

The EC found Intel guilty of paying rebates to computer manufacturers and to Media Markt, Europe's largest IT retailer. Ostensibly the motivation was to keep systems based on rival Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (AMD) off store shelves.

Contending that despite lower PC prices, consumers were left without a choice of technologies, the EC said the antitrust action will protect consumers because Intel had harmed consumers.

The fine is the largest antitrust penalty that the EC has ever levied against one company.