AMD spells out what it wants from Intel

CHIP FIRM AMD presented a motion to compel Intel to produce information about its foreign microprocessor customers.

That follows an earlier ruling by the court just before the New Year that Intel should share information about foreign transactions in the antitrust case brought against it by AMD. Intel decided not to contest that court ruling.

The filing says: "Intel has unilaterally drawn a curtain on its dealings with foreign microprocessor customers - customers, who by its own assertion, account for roughly 70% of worldwide sales."

The purpose of the move to compel is to cause the court to take into account other information about foreign manufacturing that was struck by the judge in the case last October.

The two companies sessions have "defined the universe in dispute". Intel has declined to produce documents that could show limitations on customers to buy chips from AMD, quotas for chip buying, and "other coercion, including threats of retaliation or retribution, for doing business with AMD (or not doing sufficient business with Intel)."

Intel, alleges AMD, will withhold documents that could show foreign conduct that handicaps its own business.

"Intel is not prepared to produce internal communications bearing on any of the foregoing. Intel's position is not request-specific. Any materials called for by any of AMD's three hundred plus requests" will be withheld, it goes on to say.

An interesting document from its former head of manufacturing at Fab 30 shows how it ramped up the Dresden fab while ramping down its Austin fab. If it wasn't for Intel's misconduct, claims AMD, it wouldn't have closed Fab 25 at the end of 2002. It wants the judge to order Intel to produce the documents and other information it has so far refused to produce. µ

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