Colombia’s antitrust agency fined phone companies Comcel and Movistar
for charging higher costs when customers made phone calls from
fixed-lines to mobile phones.
The regulator ordered the companies to pay each COP923 million
($448,100) after finding that in 2005 they charged much higher costs
for making phone calls from fixed-line to mobile phones in an effort to
boost cell phone use by discouraging people from using fixed lines.
Both companies can appeal the agency’s decision, the regulator said.
Natalia Cuellar, press officer at Comcel, the mobile unit of America
Movil, said her company won’t comment on the regulator’s decision. She
also declined to say whether the company will appeal the decision.
Officials at Telefonica, owner of Movistar, weren’t immediately available to comment.