Intel faces new FTC antitrust lawsuit

The US Federal Trade Commission said on Wednesday that it is suing Intel, alleging that the chipmaker has "waged a systematic campaign to shut out rivals' competing microchips". In addition, the FTC is looking to shape the future of the graphics processor market by keeping Intel in check.

In the complaint the FTC argues that Intel cut off rivals' access to the marketplace, deprived consumers of choice and innovation, was anticompetitive for a decade as it moved to shore up its monopoly, and now is working to choke off rivals in graphics chips.

The FTC argument is very similar to the EU's case against Intel. It alleges that Intel used threats and rewards against PC giants such as Dell, HP and IBM to "coerce them not to buy rival computer CPU chips". In addition, it says restrictive dealing kept PC makers from marketing non-Intel machines.

For more on this story, see FTC sues Intel, aims to shape the GPU market on CNET News.