The Consumers' Foundation (消基會) yesterday called on the Cabinet-level Fair Trade Commission to launch an investigation into Microsoft Corp's business practices.
The calls comes on the heels of a record-breaking fine issued by EU regulators against the software giant.
"Microsoft abuses its monopoly to expand market share and limit consumer choice when it comes to computer operating systems, which has violated Article 10 and Article 24 of the Fair Trade Law" (公平交易法), Cheng Jen-hung (程仁宏), general secretary of the foundation, told a press conference yesterday.
Microsoft was fined 497 million euros (US$613.5 million) by the EU on March 24 for trying to squelch rivals to its Windows Media Player software, such as RealPlayer and Apple's QuickTime.
The EU demanded the company sell two versions of Windows to PC makers in Europe, one of them with Media Player stripped out.
It also demanded that Microsoft share more of its Windows code to allow rival server software makers to compete more fairly with Microsoft.
In line with the EU's ruling, Cheng said the foundation insisted that Microsoft make available two versions of Windows in Taiwan and that the version without Media Player be priced lower.
"Japan's fair trade commission is also opening an investigation into the company under suspicion that it has violated antitrust laws," Cheng added.
A press release issued by Microsoft Taiwan yesterday said the EU's request to strip Media Player out of Windows undermines the rights and interests of users and program developers.
"The EU's decision only considered the interests of [Microsoft's] competitors, disregarding the needs of consumers who require more choice," the press release said.
Pamela Chang (張培蕾), senior corporate public relations specialist for Microsoft Taiwan, said the inclusion of Media Player is aimed at enhancing the functions of the operating system, and her company believes consumers welcome the measure.
The vice chairman of the Fair Trade Commission, Chen Chi-yuan (陳紀元), said that, regardless of the EU ruling, the commission may need to adopt different approaches on this case as laws and regulations differ from country to country.
The commission reached an administrative settlement with the software giant's Taiwan branch on Feb. 27 last year following a 10-month investigation of Microsoft's bundling of its Office software.
"The administrative settlement we reached last year is a hard-won achievement," Chen said. "We will continue to observe developments of Microsoft-related business practices in this market, as well as in other markets."
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