Spain’s competition watchdog has imposed a €20 million fine on Telefónica for repeatedly breaching conditions imposed when it acquired pay-TV operator DTS a decade ago.
The National Commission for Markets and Competition (CNMC) said the company failed to respect commitments made in 2015 not to impose minimum-term contracts or other barriers that would restrict the ability of pay-TV customers to switch providers.
According to the regulator, between August 2021 and April 2023 Telefónica marketed its bundled Movistar Fusión and MiMovistar offers — which combined pay-TV with devices such as smartphones and other electronics — subject to contractual stay requirements and penalties for early termination. These practices contravened the conditions set when the CNMC cleared Telefónica’s acquisition of DTS, the former Digital+ platform, in case C/0612/14.
The CNMC noted that this is not the first time the company has infringed its commitments. In 2023, Telefónica was fined €6 million for similar practices involving smartphones. The regulator said the latest conduct extended the use of permanence clauses to other leased devices and reinforced those restrictions, aggravating the infringement.
Failure to comply with merger commitments constitutes a “very serious” breach under Spain’s Competition Law. The CNMC said it applied an aggravating factor due to the repeated nature of the violations.
Telefónica has two months to appeal the decision to Spain’s National Court.
Source: https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/multa-telefonica-20250730
