Peruvian regulator Osiptel said that is has begun a sanction procedure against the free-to-air TV channel Latina and pay TV operator DirecTV for alleged infringements of the Law of Repression of Anticompetitive Behaviors related to the retransmission of the Latina signal during the World Cup.
According to the regulator, the decision was made after the investigations carried out by the Deputy Technical Secretariat of the Collegiate Bodies (STCCO) of Osiptel. That entity recommended evaluating the behavior initially denounced by the Peruvian Association of Cable TV (APTC) as an alleged vertical collusive practice in the form of concerted and unjustified refusal between Latina and DirecTV, by prohibiting a group of pay TV companies the retransmission of Latina signal, which includes World Cup matches.
Article 11.1 of the aforementioned law defines as a collusive practice “the concerted and unjustified refusal to satisfy demands for purchase or acquisition, or to accept offers for the sale or rendering of goods or services”, which may occur as an unlawful vertical conduct of accordance with Article 12.2 of that legislation.
The resolution ordering the procedure gives Latina and DirecTV a period of 15 working days to to submit their defense.
Last June, Osiptel had already issued a precautionary measure ordering Latina to enable the retransmission of its signal to pay TV companies whose contracts had been resolved unilaterally by the TV station.