Deutsche Telekom is demanding EUR 3.5 billion from a joint venture controlled by France-based media conglomerate Vivendi, claiming it impeded the development of Polish mobile telephone operator PTC at the centre of a long-running dispute between the two companies, reports the Financial Times. Vivendi and Deutsche Telekom have been battling it out in courts in Europe and the US over a 48 percent stake in Polish mobile operator PTC. Vivendi claims the shareholding belongs to Telco, a joint venture between Vivendi and Elektrim, a Polish conglomerate that declared bankruptcy last month. However, Deutsche Telekom, whose ownership of a separate 49 percent stake in PTC is unchallenged, feels its claim to the disputed shares has already been vindicated. It now fully consolidates PTC in its accounts while Vivendi has reduced the balance sheet value of its own investment to zero. Through a letter dated 28 August of this year and issued by its T-Mobile Germany subsidiary, Deutsche Telekom has demanded EUR 3.5 billion in compensation from Telco. A Deutsche Telekom spokesman claimed that the value of PTC had been compromised by Telco's legal challenges. Vivendi, which disclosed the compensation demand in its half-year accounts, said Telco considered the allegations to be without any merit and that it intended to fight them. Two other Polsih mobile operators PTK Centertel, which uses the Orange brand, and Polkomtel now have more subscribers than PTC.
