DOJ investigating IBM antitrust allegations: reports

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is investigating IBM for allegations of antitrust violations stemming from their sales of mainframe computers, according to Wednesday media reports. Competitors allege that IBM is dominating the mainframe computer market by not allowing its operating systems to run on non-IBM mainframes.

The Computer and Communications Industry Association (CCIA) maintains that the effects of IBM's actions have "walled off vital corporate and government applications and data from the rapidly evolving high-end server market." The trade group argues that limiting the operating system's use to one platform presents problems and "retards innovation." A DOJ spokesperson had no comment on the investigation.

In January, T3 Technologies filed a complaint against IBM with the European Commission alleging that IBM refused to sell their operating system to T3's customers. T3's US suit was recently dismissed in a New York District Court, although the company plans to appeal. In August, a district court dismissed a consumer class action antitrust lawsuit against telecommunications company Qualcomm that alleged the company has used the licensing of CDMA related patents to adversely affect competition.

(Published by Jurist - October 8, 2009)