Anti-trust: Maroc Telecom Hit with $ 344 Mln Fine

Morocco’s telecom regulator (ANRT) imposed on Monday a $ 344 Million fine on Maroc Telecom, the country’s leading operator, for its anti-competitive practices since 2013.

In a press release, the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT) said the Moroccan company has abused its dominant position by blocking its rivals’ access to its landline network and to the fixed broadband market.

The ANRT also warned that Maroc Telecom could face other sanctions if it fails to comply, affirming that its ruling aims to guarantee competition in the telecom sector.

Maroc Telecom said it would challenge the decision of the regulatory agency. In 2016, ANRT had urged Maroc telecom to respect the rules related to local loop unbundling. In 2017, rival operator Wana lodged a complaint against Maroc Telecom, accusing it of breaching competition rules.

UAE’s Etisalat holds 53 pc of the capital of Maroc Telecom, while Morocco takes up 22 pc. The Moroccan telecom firm has subsidiaries in Benin, Burkina Faso, C$ote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Togo and the Central African Republic.