IBM offers concession in EU antitrust probe into mainframe maintenance, second case closed

BRUSSELS – U.S. computer maker International Business Machines has offered to make it easier for competitors to get spare parts for its mainframe computers in an attempt to get European regulators to close an antitrust probe.

The European Commission opened an investigation into whether IBM was abusing its dominant position in the market for mainframe computers in July 2010, focusing on profitable maintenance services.

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Mainframes are powerful computers that are used mostly by big companies and governments.

IBM said it was offering the concessions even though it didn’t agree with the Commission’s initial assessment of a potential abuse of dominance.

The Commission said Tuesday it was closing a separate probe into whether IBM was unfairly tying its mainframe hardware with its operating system.