Broadcom sign Photo: Michael Vi/Shutterstock.com

The European Commission has opened an antitrust investigation into whether U.S. semiconductor maker Broadcom is restricting competition through exclusivity contracts. The Commission is also planning to impose measures to end possible anticompetitive practices in the TV and modem chipset markets, while it carries out its investigation.

"TV set-top boxes and modems are part of our daily lives, for both work and for leisure," said Margrethe Vestager, the EU's antitrust head. "We suspect that Broadcom, a major supplier of components for these devices, has put in place contractual restrictions to exclude its competitors from the market."

Vestager said such restrictions would prevent Broadcom's customers and final consumers from reaping the benefits of choice and innovation. "We also intend to order Broadcom to halt its behaviour while our investigation proceeds, to avoid any risk of serious and irreparable harm to competition," she added.