The European Union has officially placed charges against Intel for monopolistic practices focused against it's main rival AMD.South Korea also launch similar charges against Intel, as well as Japan and New York state. While their investigations remain ongoing, it is expected that Intel will have to face heavy penalties when found guilty. Here is a brief history of antitrust cases against Intel:
1990: Microprocessor maker Cyrix files an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the Northern District of Texas for unlawful exclusionary practices to protect its coprocessor monopoly from competition.
1991: Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) file an antitrust lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the Norther District of California. U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced it was investigating the company's business practices.
1993: The FTC completes its investigation of Intel and finds no evidence to support charges of anticompetitive behavior.
1994: Cyrix dismissed its 1990 antitrust claims as part of a patent-dispute settlement.
1995: AMD and Intel announce a settlement ending several court cases including the antitrust lawsuit file by AMD in 1991.
1997: FTC requests additional information concerning Intel's plans to acquire Chips and Technologies citing antitrust laws. In 1992, Chips and Technologies files an antitrust suit against Intel soon after dismissed through a settlement of patent disputes.
A second FTC investigation was launched into Intel's business practices.
1998: The first 1997 FTC investigation ended with a decision not to pursue an injunction.
Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) sale of its semiconductor division including its Alpha processor to Intel was determined to be in violation of U.S. antitrust laws. As a result the FTC ordered the Alpha processor licensed to both AMD and Samsung Electronics as part of the deal.
FTC issue an antitrust ruling against Intel finding that Intel stopped providing imporatant technical data to DEC, Compaq and Integraph after they took legal action against Intel patent violations. In response Intel threatened to stop selling microprocessors to those companies.
2000: FTC completed its second investigation into Intel's business practices and decided to take no further action. This is after the 1999 settle by Intel to stop withholding technical data from customers involved in intellectual-property litigation with Intel.
2004: The Fair Trade Commission of Japan (JFTC) raided offices of Intel's Japanese subsidiaries as part of an investigation into Intel's business practices.
2005: The JFTC found Intel in violation of Japanese antitrust laws. Intel disputed the ruling by ultimately agreed to refrain from certain business practices. AMD subsequently files an antitrust lawsuit against Intel in the U.S. District Court of the District of Delaware citing anticompetitive behavior by Intel in the U.S., Asia and Europe. AMD sued Intel in the Tokyo Court and the Tokyo District Court seeking damagers for their anticompetitive actions in Japan. European Commission investigators raided Intel offices and PC manufacturers in several countries.
2006: The Korean Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) raided Intel's offices in South Korea. AMD files a complaint with the German Federal Cartel Office, claiming a deal made between Intel and Media Markt blocked the sale of AMD based computers.
2007: The European Commission charged Intel with antitrust violations accusing Intel of offering rebates to manufacturers who show preference for Intel chips, while paying manufacturers to delay or cancel products based on the AMD processors. The KFTC issued preliminary charges against Intel while continuing to pursue its investigation.
2008: New York State Attorney General launched an antitrust investigation of Intel. Subpoena were filled seeking information on pricing practices in an attempt to exclude competition. European Commission investigators raided Intel's offices in Munich and those of its retailers.
