Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

According to Reuters article Research In Motion is sueing Motorola for non payment of royalties on patents held by RIM. RIM also alleges that Motorola is charging exorbitant royalties on patents owned by Motorola.

"The civil action, filed on Friday in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, alleges that Motorola infringed on a number of patents held by RIM.
In addition, RIM alleges that Motorola "is demanding exorbitant royalties…for patents that Motorola claims are essential to various standards for mobile wireless telecommunications and wireless computing that RIM practices."
This includes technology that allows mobile telephone handset users to use Wi-Fi, RIM said.
At the same time, Motorola is refusing to acknowledge or pay royalties for certain patents held by RIM, the BlackBerry-maker said."

Reuters

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Jeff Pulver has written a post about latest law suites regarding Sprint and Verizon. Verizon against COX and Sprint against a bunch of CLECs. Speculation is that Sprint move is financially motivated.
Here is the post Sprint Files Four VoIP Patent Infringement Suits.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Vonage and AT&T have decided to settle their patent dispute that we reported here;
VOIP IP Telephony: AT&T, Vonage Lawsuit Revisited. Please find small press release below.

HOLMDEL, N.J., Dec 21, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — Vonage and AT&T have entered into a definitive agreement to settle their patent dispute, the companies announced today. The companies had agreed in principle to a settlement on November 7.
Both compnies did not provide any further information in their press releases.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

It seems Vonage does not get a break. I wonder why these people go after cable companies that seem to be the leading VoIP provides, (Vonage comes third) or are they all complient? Vonage has gone through multiple law suits by leading telecom companies, 1, 2, 3.
Rich Tehrani reports that the Vonage’s latest patent fight is with Nortel, a company who says Vonage is infringing on twelve of its patents.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Bloomberg reports that Vonage lost the appeal against courts decision against it regarding the Patent case by Verizon. Well I hope Vonage does not end up like a burned rocket.

Nov. 15 (Bloomberg) — Vonage Holdings Corp., the unprofitable Internet phone service provider, must pay $120 million to end a patent lawsuit won by Verizon Communications Inc. after a U.S. appeals court refused to reconsider the case.

Vonage settled the infringement suit on Oct. 25 after Verizon won both a jury verdict and an appeal in the case. The accord left open the amount to be paid until the appeals court decided whether to grant Vonage’s request for reconsideration.

Legal costs have eaten into Vonage’s cash flow and may increase its risk of bankruptcy. The Holmdel, New Jersey-based company said yesterday that it may not have enough money to pay $253.5 million in debt due as early as December 2008. Vonage, which generated cash of $22.5 million in the third quarter, will try to restructure the debt.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

How Moronic is this, Prior art search could start some where here;
""Mr. Watson–come here–I want to see you."" I am sure Mr. Watson said good bye after informing that it will tale one week for him to get to New York from San Francisco!
Geemodo: Microsft Seeks Patent on "Good Bye"

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

How Moronic is this, Prior art search could start some where here;
""Mr. Watson–come here–I want to see you."" I am sure Mr. Watson said good bye after informing that it will tale one week for him to get to New York from San Francisco!
Geemodo: Microsft Seeks Patent on "Good Bye"

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 31 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — 8×8, Inc. , originator of the Packet8 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video communication services for business and residential customers, today announced that it has been issued U.S. Patent No. 7,289,491 for an arrangement and method of Internet telephony. The patent issued from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on October 30, 2007.

The invention covered by the patent relates generally to an arrangement which includes a telephone and an interface unit which interfaces the telephone to both a standard switched telephone communications network and an Internet communications network.

Since its establishment in 1987, 8×8 has been awarded seventy (70) United States patents covering a variety of voice and video communications and storage technologies.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Vonage Settles the patent lawsuit with Verizon as well. May be this was inspired by the settlement Vonage did earlier with Sprint Nextel Company. I hope the can also address the AT&T lawsuit and move on to do real VoIP IP Telephony business.

Following is the news release;

HOLMDEL, N.J., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — In June 2006, Verizon Services Corp. brought a lawsuit against Vonage Holdings Corp. to enforce several Verizon patents relating to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

In March 2007, a jury held that Vonage is infringing three valid Verizon patents. The jury awarded $58 million in damages. The trial judge subsequently issued an injunction which was stayed pending Vonage’s appeal.

In September 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the trial court’s decisions on infringement, validity, and injunction as to two of the Verizon patents (the ‘574 and ‘711) and remanded as to the third patent (the ‘880). Vonage filed a petition for rehearing which is pending in the Court of Appeals.

Today the parties have agreed to resolve the patent lawsuit. The terms of the resolution depend on how the Court of Appeals decides Vonage’s pending petition for rehearing regarding two of the Verizon patents (the ‘574 and ‘711). If Vonage wins rehearing on either the ‘574 or ‘711 patent or if the injunction is vacated as to the ‘574 or ‘711 patent, Vonage will pay Verizon $80 million. If Vonage does not win rehearing on either the ‘574 or ‘711 patent, or if the stay is lifted reinstating the injunction, Vonage will pay Verizon $117.5 million.

The parties are pleased to have resolved this matter.

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

Vonage Settles the patent lawsuit with Verizon as well. May be this was inspired by the settlement Vonage did earlier with Sprint Nextel Company. I hope the can also address the AT&T lawsuit and move on to do real VoIP IP Telephony business.

Following is the news release;

HOLMDEL, N.J., Oct. 25 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — In June 2006, Verizon Services Corp. brought a lawsuit against Vonage Holdings Corp. to enforce several Verizon patents relating to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services.

In March 2007, a jury held that Vonage is infringing three valid Verizon patents. The jury awarded $58 million in damages. The trial judge subsequently issued an injunction which was stayed pending Vonage’s appeal.

In September 2007, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit upheld the trial court’s decisions on infringement, validity, and injunction as to two of the Verizon patents (the ‘574 and ‘711) and remanded as to the third patent (the ‘880). Vonage filed a petition for rehearing which is pending in the Court of Appeals.

Today the parties have agreed to resolve the patent lawsuit. The terms of the resolution depend on how the Court of Appeals decides Vonage’s pending petition for rehearing regarding two of the Verizon patents (the ‘574 and ‘711). If Vonage wins rehearing on either the ‘574 or ‘711 patent or if the injunction is vacated as to the ‘574 or ‘711 patent, Vonage will pay Verizon $80 million. If Vonage does not win rehearing on either the ‘574 or ‘711 patent, or if the stay is lifted reinstating the injunction, Vonage will pay Verizon $117.5 million.

The parties are pleased to have resolved this matter.

Source: voipcentral.org

“Controversy!” — It is chasing Vonage all the way. No sooner, it solves one controversy; another drags the troubled VoIP startup to the court of law. It is now hard to see when the beleaguered Vonage will come up with a clean face.

According to media reports, AT&T has sued Vonage in the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Wisconsin claiming patent infringement by the latter.

AT&T says Vonage is unlawfully using their wide-area packet technology system and insists Vonage to refrain from using the platform. The company is also seeking treble damages and attorneys fees from Vonage. However, the amounts were not mentioned.

Just a few days ago, Vonage settled two legal disputes. The latest one was with Klausner Technologies and reached out an agreement to use their patents relating to voicemail services.

Prior to that, the residential VoIP service provider agreed to pay some $80 million to Sprint Nextel as part of the settlement. In return, Sprint Nextel has granted more than 100 VoIP patents to Vonage.

Vonage is still fighting a legal battle with Verizon Communication. The residential VoIP company was ordered to pay $58 million in damages, plus 5.5 percent royalties on future revenues for the violation of three Verizon patents.

Via: Information Week

Source: snapvoip.blogspot.com

I was already skeptical when I wrote this post about AT&T suing Vonage. But after reading an article by Information Week’s Alexander Wolfe, I am enlightened now certainly know it is bull frog trying to swallow a small fry.
Mr. Wolfe has gone to pains analyzing the patent documents that seem to be the patent related to the case, (He was unable to get the court papers but I am sure some body soon will!). Just a few paragraphs into the article it is evident that this is an effort by lawyers to get some part of AT&T’s easily earned money.
I whole heartedly agree with Mr.Wolfe that the US patent system is broken. So I am looking out for some body take US Patent office to court ;), I can’t because I am a poor guy. And rich guys will not do it because Patents, specially broken ones, makes the rich ans keep them rich.
I invite you to read Mr.Wolfe’s article, and to see for your self if this law suit has any merit. May be it is time to break up MA Bell again ;).