Unicom, Telecom request halt on monopoly probe

China Telecom and China Unicom have applied to Chinese regulators to end an investigation into their pricing practices, The Wall Street Journal reported. In exchange, each company has pledged to substantially enhance broadband access speeds, expand optic-fiber access and further lower broadband costs for public internet access in the period through 2015; China Telecom said it will lower broadband service charges by approximately 35% with five years. China’s top economic planner, the National Development and Reform Commission, launched an investigation into the two companies in early November over suspected monopolistic practices in the broadband access business. The probe is aimed at their pricing of internet-dedicated leased-line access services and is the first monopoly case involving large state-owned enterprises since China’s antitrust law was implemented in August 2008.