QUALCOMM filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) alleging that Nokia engaged in unfair trade practices by the importation and sale of certain mobile telephone handsets, wireless communication devices and components that infringe one or more claims of six QUALCOMM patents. QUALCOMM has requested that the ITC institute an investigation into Nokia’s infringing imports and ultimately issue an Exclusion Order to bar importation of those Nokia handsets and other products.
QUALCOMM said it expects the ITC investigation will commence in July and that the case will be tried in the first half of next year.
For its part, Nokia said it believes he subject matter of the ITC complaint are be covered by QUALCOMM’s prior agreements to license on fair and reasonable terms and are thus not properly subject to a request by Qualcomm to the ITC. Nokia also noted that its obligations to pay royalties to QUALCOMM’s under the current license agreement will expire on April 9, 2007. Nokia and Qualcomm are in active negotiations to extend, or replace, the current agreements.
Nokia said it believes QUALCOMM’s repetitive legal actions, over GSM technologies that have been in the market for many years, reflect QUALCOMM’s concern over the current 3G UMTS patent negotiations. http://www.qualcomm.comhttp//www.nokia.com
- In November 2005, QUALCOMM filed suit against Nokia Corporation and Nokia Inc. in federal court in San Diego for infringement of 11 of QUALCOMM’s patents and one patent owned by SnapTrack. QUALCOMM’s lawsuit alleges infringement of patents that are essential for the manufacture or use of equipment that complies with the GSM, GPRS and EDGE cellular standards (the GSM family of standards).
- QUALCOMM has also filed legal complaints against Nokia in the UK