A U.S. appeals court has sided with AT&T in its lawsuit against LCD panel display makers. AT&T originally sued LG Display, Samsung, Sharp, Chunghwa and AU Optronics in 2009 over an alleged scheme to raise and fix the prices of LCD displays. A U.S. court eventually dismissed portions of AT&T’s case.
The new decision overturns the partial dismissal. AT&T claims to have purchased some 300 million mobile phones from the companies involved at inflated prices due to the scheme. Both Florida and New York have filed lawsuits against the companies, as has the federal government and the European Union. A U.S. court found AU Optronics guilty of colluding with the other LCD panel in March of last year.
The price fixing scheme operated between 1999 and 2006. The companies met more than 60 times, often at luxury hotels, and U.S. prosecutors claim the scheme cost U.S. consumers and businesses billions of dollars. Other LCD panel makers, including Samsung and LG Display, pleaded guilty and paid fines.
AT&T’s case against AU Optronics may now move forward.
