PRAGUE, March 17 (Reuters) - Vodafone's Czech unitis seeking damages of 385 million crowns ($15 million) fromtelecoms company O2 Czech Republic for what it says isthe company's abuse of a dominant position in the fixedbroadband market, the company said on Tuesday.
Vodafone said it was forced to pay high costs for wholesaleaccess to DSL (digital subscriber line) broadband, preventing itfrom offering prices that could compete with O2 Czech Republic.
"Vodafone is seeking damages of CZK 385 million for the harmcaused between 2011 and 2014, and highlights that the damagecaused by O2's actions continues to increase by more than CZK100 million a year," the company said in a statement.
O2 Czech Republic said Vodafone's complaint was unjustified.
"O2 Czech Republic states that it did not violate anyobligations regarding the law on protecting economiccompetition, and for this reason it considers the claim byVodafone Czech Republic to be totally unjustified andunfounded," a spokesman said.
The claim was filed with the Prague municipal court.
O2 Czech Republic provides over 80 percent of DSL broadbandlines in the central European country, Vodafone said.
($1 = 25.7270 Czech crowns) (Reporting by Jason Hovet and Petra Vodstrcilova, editing byDavid Evans)
Vodafone (VOD)
