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Vol 7 No 1 - Roger Williams University School of Law

Vol 7 No 1 - Roger Williams University School of Law

Vol 7 No 1 - Roger Williams University School of Law

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the information age there have been a number <strong>of</strong> claims that coreinfrastructure <strong>of</strong> the information society is an essential facilityand cannot be closed <strong>of</strong>f from use.224The court explained the notion <strong>of</strong> an essential facility asfollows:The “essential facility” theory <strong>of</strong> Sherman Act violationstems from United States v. Terminal RR Ass’n, whereina group <strong>of</strong> railroads formed an association that controlledthe railroad terminals, bridges, and switching yardsserving the City <strong>of</strong> St. Louis. The Court held that thisassociation was formed for an anticompetitive purpose,that the railroad terminals, bridges, and yards werefacilities essential to competing railroads, and thatsection 1 <strong>of</strong> the Sherman Act was violated.The district court found that “the Advance ChipsSamples and advance design and technical informationare essential products and information necessary forIntergraph to compete in its markets.” Reasoning that“[t]he antitrust laws impose on firms controlling anessential facility the obligation to make the facilityavailable on non-discriminatory terms,” the court heldthat Intel’s action in withdrawing these benefits violatedthe Sherman Act. As authority the district court citedOtter Tail Power Co. v. United States and MCICommunications Corp. v. American Telephone &Telegraph Co.. . . .In MCI Communications, the court enumerated theelements <strong>of</strong> liability under the “essential facilities” theoryas “(1) control <strong>of</strong> the essential facility by a monopolist; (2)a competitor’s inability practically or reasonably toduplicate the essential facility; (3) the denial <strong>of</strong> the use <strong>of</strong>the facility to a competitor; and (4) the feasibility <strong>of</strong>providing the facility.” The courts have well understoodthat the essential facility theory is not an invitation to224. See eBay, Inc. v. Bidder’s Edge, Inc., 100 F. Supp. 2d 1058 (N.D. Cal. 2000);Cyber Promotions, Inc. v. Am. Online, Inc., 948 F. Supp. 436 (E.D. Pa. 1996);Compuserve, Inc. v. Cyber Promotions, Inc., 962 F. Supp. 1015 (S.D. Ohio 1997).

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