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By Toby Sterling
AMSTERDAM, Dec 10 (Reuters) - Vodafone has filedsuit against KPN for alleged anticompetitive behaviour,saying it was seeking 115 million euros ($126 million) indamages from the Dutch company.
Vodafone said in a statement on Thursday its roll-out of acombined package including television services in theNetherlands had been delayed by three years as KPN, the formerDutch telecoms monopoly, failed to make its networks available.
KPN spokesman Stijn Wesselink said the company had not yetreceived a copy of Vodafone's complaint, but it believes theBritish company's portrayal of events is not accurate. "We havea professional relationship," he said.
The launch of the lawsuit follows remarks last month byVodafone Chief Executive Vittorio Colao, who said Europeancompetition authorities should look at whether former statetelecom companies around Europe were limiting access to theirnetworks and attempting to create what he called new monopolies.
Vodafone said that during 2011 to 2014 KPN was able to rollout its own television package, but had repeatedly failed tofulfil promises to deliver the technology that would make itpossible for Vodafone to do the same.
"KPN limited Vodafone's possibility to get significantmarket share during a crucial phase," it said.
Rob Shuter, head of Vodafone's Dutch unit, said the companyhad filed civil suit at the Hague District Court seeking"restitution and better behaviour by KPN in the future."
KPN had 28 percent of the Dutch TV market at the end of thethird quarter, behind cable operator Ziggo, owned by LibertyGlobal, with 53 percent.
($1 = 0.9101 euros) (Editing by Jason Neely and David Holmes)