
Pacific Bell Telephone Co. v. Linkline Communications, Inc.
United States Supreme Court
555 U.S. 438 (2009)
Relevant factsFree
AT&T (defendant) sold DSL infrastructure access to independent retail competitors, including Linkline (plaintiff), at the wholesale level while also competing against them at retail; the retailers sued, alleging AT&T raised wholesale prices and lowered retail prices to squeeze them out of the market, and the lower courts ruled for the retailers.
IssueFree
Whether a wholesaler that has no antitrust obligation to sell to competing retailers may be held liable under antitrust law for subjecting those competitors to a price squeeze.
Related cases
Brooke Group Ltd. v. Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corp.509 U.S. 209 (1993)Catalano, Inc. v. Target Sales, Inc.446 U.S. 643 (1980)Maple Flooring Manufacturers Association v. United States268 U.S. 563 (1925)Klor's Inc. v. Broadway-Hale Stores, Inc.359 U.S. 207 (1959)California Retail Liquor Dealers Association v. Midcal Aluminum, Inc.445 U.S. 97 (1980)