IBM to help others

Press, 28 August 1984, Page 32

IBM to help others

IBM’s chairman, Mr John Opel, has commented about the settlement reached recently in Europe between IBM and the E.E.C. Commission. Under the terms of the voluntary undertaking, IBM will in future provide interfacing information within four months after the announcement of new IBM System/370 products. The information will help competitors attach competitive products to the IBM equipment. IBM will also release technical information about its Systems Network Architecture to facilitate the connection of competitive systems and networks to IBM networks. Commenting on the settlement, Mr Opel said: "We are pleased that an agreement has been reached. “This undertaking satisfies the commission’s desires and puts the matter behind us without requiring us to make significant changes in how we do business. IBM has always given out a great deal of information that is needed by our customers. This agreement does not require us to give out any more than we have in the past to satisfy those needs.” The commission had accused IBM of abusing its dominant market position in Europe by stifling competition. IBM, it is estimated, holds nearly one-third of the European computer systems market. It is also a large employer in Europe, with research, development and manufacturing facilities in a number of countries.