NEW YORK, November 28. /TASS/. The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened an antitrust investigation of Microsoft Corp., Bloomberg reported.
According to the agency’s sources, the investigation focuses on the US software giant’s focuses on Microsoft’s possible bundling of its office productivity and security software with its cloud services.
Since the corporation is a major governmental contractor, signing multibillion-dollar contracts with various state agencies including the Pentagon, the commission is concerned, among other things, by "Microsoft’s cybersecurity failings." This raises concerns about "the company’s problematic power over the market."
According to Bloomberg, Microsoft has been a subject of US antitrust enforcers’ attention for more than a year. Following "informal interviews" with the company’s partners and competitors, the commission has crafted "a detailed request to force Microsoft to turn over information." The request is "hundreds of pages" long, the article says.
FTC antitrust lawyers are set to meet with Microsoft competitors next week to gather more information about the company’s business practices, the agency reported.