according to reports, the British digital media regulator
"Ofcom" said today that it will launch an antitrust investigation
into cloud services of Amazon, Google and Microsoft.
Ofcom, which regulates broadcasting, communications and
postal services, said today it would launch a series of investigations into
digital markets including cloud computing, internet communications and smart
devices. It means the British regulator has taken another step forward in
scrutinizing big U.S. tech companies.
Ofcom said it would first investigate the cloud services
of Amazon (AWS), Microsoft (Azure) and Google to assess whether they limit
innovation and hinder fair competition and growth in the industry. Ofcom said
the size of the UK public cloud infrastructure market is about 15 billion
pounds (about 16.85 billion US dollars), and the cloud services of the three
companies accounted for about 81% of revenue.
Ofcom plans to complete the review within the next 12
months and publish a final report, which will include relevant concerns and
recommendations. Further action may be taken if Ofcom finds that the three
companies are harming competition. Ofcom executive Selina Chadha also pointed
out that Ofcom has not yet reached an agreement on "whether these cloud
giants engage in anti-competitive behavior."
Amazon, Google and Microsoft have yet to comment.
In addition to cloud services, Ofcom plans to investigate
other digital markets next year, including personal messaging and virtual
assistants such as Amazon Alexa. Ofcom said it was interested in how services
such as Meta's WhatsApp, Apple's Facetime and Zoom were affecting traditional
calling and messaging, as well as the competitive landscape in the markets for
digital assistants, connected TVs and smart speakers.
"The way we live, work, play and do business has
been transformed by digital services," Chadha said in a statement.
"But as the number of platforms, devices and networks (serving content)
continues to grow, regulation The technical and economic issues facing
institutions have also increased. That's why we're launching this survey, to review
these digital marketplaces, identify any competition issues, and ensure that
these services are fair and friendly to the people and businesses that rely on
them ."
Currently, Microsoft's cloud services are facing a formal
investigation by the European Commission. In March, Microsoft's cloud computing
business was hit with complaints from three European rivals, alleging that
Microsoft undermined fair competition in the cloud computing services market
and limited consumers' choices.
SOURCE : China news
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