Broadcom is dealing with a significant antitrust crackdown. Gizmodo reports that the Federal Trade Commission has charged Broadcom with “illegally monopolizing” the markets for broadband and TV chips, together with WiFi components. The FTC claimed that Broadcom struck unique offers with distributors and repair suppliers that prevented them from shopping for chips from rival suppliers.

The FTC additionally accused Broadcom of acquiring “exclusivity and loyalty commitments” for chip provides, making it troublesome for firms to compete on their very own deserves. The vote was close to unanimous, though newly put in Commissioner Lina Khan bowed out.

The Commission’s proposed motion would forbid Broadcom from negotiating sure exclusivity and loyalty offers, bar the corporate from conditioning chip entry based mostly on commitments, and ban retaliation in opposition to prospects who purchase from Broadcom’s rivals.

We’ve requested Broadcom for remark, though it beforehand signalled that it would cooperate on a settlement. It nonetheless disagreed with the FTC’s portrayal and claimed that it did not break the legislation.

The chipset big hasn’t precisely gained favor from regulators lately. It spent 2017 and 2018 aggressively making an attempt to purchase Qualcomm, solely to surrender after the White House blocked the deal. We would not count on regulators to make too many concessions consequently, even when a settlement appears probably. Broadcom hasn’t been shy about desirous to dominate the chip enterprise — the FTC will need assurances the corporate will not push boundaries sooner or later.