News - Europe fines DRAM makers ?331 million for price fixing

[HEXUS]

Samsung by far the most heavily fined, but all of them were involved to some extent.

Read more.

[aidanjt]

Are we sure the cartel completely disbanded in 2002?

[Scott B]

We must assume the EC is satisfied of this.

[Infinite]

Micron escaped punishment because it grassed the rest of them up in 2002.

Douche bags

[watercooled]

Hopefully this will mean cheaper RAM prices?

[drunkenmaster]

The problem being, firstly, between them they probably raked in several times that which they were fined, so were basically rewarded heavily for fixing prices and then given effectively a light tap on the wrists.

Which only encourages them to do it again. If you can make a billion extra, and know you'll only pick up a couple hundred million in fines, thats an 800million incentive to do it, rather than a 200 million disincentive.

[scaryjim]

Hopefully this will mean cheaper RAM prices?

Yes - in July 2002 (since when this practice has quite definitely stopped. Hasn't it? )

Anyway, I thought that DRAM manufacturers were being investigated on the back of RAMBUS allegations that they kept prices artificially low? Or was that a different period? They stopped selling RAM at an artificially high price in order to sell it at an artificially low price?

I'm confused