Zip.ch files a complaint against Swisscom before the Comco

Zip.ch has lodged a complaint against Swisscom and its subsidiary Swisscom Directories before the Federal Competition Commission (Comco).

The online directory and digital agency for SMEs accuses the blue giant of 'multiple violations of the federal cartel law (LCart), including those related to the product Swiss List Starter'.

Zip.ch criticizes the Localsearch electronic directory, which is the exclusive property of Swisscom, for requiring more than 300,000 companies, listed under one or more headings, to accept additional services, subject to a tripling of their invoice, according to a statement released Thursday.

The new contract, 'Swiss List Starter', includes' specific risks including exposure to internet users' opinions and a localsearch takeover of their data on Google and Bing search engines', according to comments by company based in Lausanne.

Zip.ch also denounces 'abuse of dominant position to the detriment of SMEs' by blocking, through the Swiss List Starter, the entire market of digital marketing solutions.

As part of its complaint, Zip.ch requires Comco to cancel the Swiss List Starter contracts and to maintain the heading as an independent service. Contacted by AWP, a Localsearch spokesman said he was unable to provide more details about the complaint Zip.ch, while admitting his surprise at the reproach of the company in Lausanne.

Localsearch rejects Zip.ch's full charges, stating that the figure of 300,000 customers is false. Zip.ch has already lodged a complaint against Swisscom with the Federal Communications Commission (Comcom), which is still pending. Zip.ch was launched in March 2015 with the aim of posing as an alternative to local.ch and search.ch.

/ ATS