Ericsson asserts patents against Apple in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands
08 May 2015 - 5:00PM
- Ericsson has filed suits in Germany, the United
Kingdom and the Netherlands against Apple's products
- For more than two years Ericsson has been trying
to reach an agreement with Apple on a global license for Ericsson's
patents on terms that are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory
(FRAND)
- Apple does not currently have any license for
Ericsson's technology, but continues to sell products, for which
its licenses have expired, on a global scale
- Ericsson believes a global system of fair and
reasonable compensation through licensing is vital for providing
the necessary industry incentive to continue to innovate and
develop new technologies for the benefit of consumers
Ericsson (NASDAQ: ERIC) has filed suits against
Apple in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Ericsson
had offered to enter into arbitration with Apple to reach a
mutually beneficial global licensing agreement for its
standard-essential patents, but that offer has now expired.
Kasim Alfalahi, Chief Intellectual Property
Officer at Ericsson, says: "Apple continues to profit from
Ericsson's technology without having a valid license in place. Our
technology is used in many features and functionality of today's
communication devices. We are confident the courts in Germany, the
UK and the Netherlands will be able to help us resolve this matter
in a fair manner."
The proceedings in the three countries were
recently initiated and refer to the 2G and 4G/LTE standards, as
well as other technology that is not standardized, but is related
to, for instance, the design of semiconductor components and
non-cellular wireless communications.
For more than two years Ericsson has been trying
to reach an agreement with Apple on a global license for Ericsson's
patents on terms that are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory
(FRAND), but the companies have failed to reach an amicable
resolution. Ericsson's national lawsuits in Europe are other
efforts to protect and support its investment in R&D.
Ericsson is committed to licensing its
standard-essential patents on FRAND terms to provide a level
playing field for all companies, lower the barriers of entry and
increase competition and innovation. FRAND principles promote
shared standards and open technology up to any licensed user, which
enables high performance interoperability across networks by
devices from multiple manufacturers.
Ericsson engineers contribute technology that
enables billions of mobile users around the world today.
Smartphones are the most sold consumer product globally and
smartphone owners benefit from shared innovations in new standards
like 4G/LTE, which have enabled the creation of high-speed data
networks that connect the world and enable people to, for instance,
send pictures, video chat, follow their favorite television shows
or consult with doctors in remote places, from any location. Under
the FRAND commitment, essential patent owners like Ericsson are
compensated proportionally in relation to their contribution to the
standardized technology.
Ericsson has one of the industry's strongest
intellectual property portfolios, which includes more than 37,000
granted patents, and equally as many pending application,
worldwide. To date, Ericsson has signed more than 100
patent-licensing agreements with most major players in the
industry.
NOTES TO EDITORS
IPR and licensing press backgrounder
Essential patents and LTE press backgrounder
Infographic IPR and licensing
Download high-resolution photos and
broadcast-quality video at www.ericsson.com/press
Ericsson is the driving force
behind the Networked Society - a world leader in communications
technology and services. Our long-term relationships with every
major telecom operator in the world allow people, business and
society to fulfill their potential and create a more sustainable
future.
Our services, software and
infrastructure - especially in mobility, broadband and the
cloud - are enabling the telecom industry and
other sectors to do better business, increase efficiency, improve
the user experience and capture new opportunities.
With approximately 115,000
professionals and customers in 180 countries, we combine global scale with technology and services
leadership. We support networks that connect more than 2.5 billion
subscribers. Forty percent of the world's mobile traffic is carried
over Ericsson networks. And our investments in research and
development ensure that our solutions - and our customers - stay in
front.
Founded in 1876, Ericsson has its
headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden. Net sales in 2014 were SEK 228.0
billion (USD 33.1 billion). Ericsson is listed on NASDAQ OMX stock
exchange in Stockholm and the NASDAQ in New York.
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FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT
Ericsson Corporate Communications
Phone: +46 10 719 69 92
E-mail: media.relations@ericsson.com
Ericsson Investor Relations
Phone: +46 10 719 00 00
E-mail: investor.relations@ericsson.com
PR Ericsson asserts
patents
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Source: Ericsson via Globenewswire
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