Portugal Fines Telcos €13.3M for Colluding on TV Ad Sales via Playce Platform
The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) has fined telecom operators Meo, Nos, Vodafone, and consulting firm Accenture €13.3 million for colluding on advertising through the Playce platform. This anti-competitive agreement standardized ad pricing and made it harder for customers to switch operators. Vodafone and Nos plan to contest the ruling, while one of the fined companies chose to pay the fine.
Key Takeaways
- Portuguese telcos Meo, Nos, and Vodafone, along with consulting firm Accenture, received a combined €13.3 million fine.
- The fine was for colluding on advertising through the now-suspended Playce platform.
- The anti-competitive agreement involved inserting 30 seconds of advertising before automatic TV recordings and standardizing ad pricing and discounts.
- The AdC's investigation began in August 2020, with the agreement active from August 2019 to May 2025.
- Vodafone and Nos plan to contest the ruling, while one company opted to pay the fine voluntarily.
Additional Context
The Portuguese Competition Authority (AdC) levied a total fine of €13.35 million against Meo, NOS, Vodafone, and Accenture for an anti-competitive agreement in subscription television services and TV recording advertising (ECO, June 2026). The AdC stated that this "concerted approach" by the three largest national telecom operators, supported by Accenture, effectively removed consumers' ability to switch providers when dissatisfied with new advertising in recording services (CNN Portugal, June 2026). The investigation, which began due to media reports in August 2020, found the agreement in force from August 2019 to May 2025, when the advertising spaces were suspended (Observador, June 2026). The AdC noted the agreement eliminated competition among operators by standardizing advertising space commercialization, including pricing and discounts (ECO, June 2026). While the AdC does not identify sanctioned companies in its public communications due to administrative court injunctions, it maintains its position against such anonymity (Sapo.pt, June 2026). Vodafone and NOS intend to legally challenge the ruling, citing flaws and lack of legal basis, while one of the implicated companies chose to pay the fine and waive further litigation (Advanced Television, June 2026).
Read full article at advanced-television.com