International communications technology and services provider Ericsson (ADR) ERIC 3.52% is filing lawsuits against Apple Inc. AAPL 1.88% in Germany, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, according to the company’s website. After more than two years of attempting to reach an agreement with Apple on a global license for Ericsson’s patents, the company has decided that the courts will now settle the dispute.
Ericsson’s Stance
According to Kasim Alfalahi, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, the company’s patience with Apple has run out.
“Apple continues to profit from Ericsson’s technology without having a valid license in place,” Alfalahi said in Ericsson’s statement. “We are confident the courts in Germany, the UK and the Netherlands will be able ro help us resolve this matter in a fair manner.”
The Details
The lawsuits center around 2G and 4G/LTE standards and other technology that Ericsson claims is “not standardized.” This technology also includes semiconductor design and non-cellular wireless communications technology.
The Litigation Continues
Apple originally filed a suit against Ericsson back in January, claiming that Ericsson’s royalties for the use of non-essential LTE technology were excessive. Ericsson countersued Apple in Texas only hours later, seeking up to $750 million per year in royalties for patented wireless technology.
Apple’s Response
An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment to Bloomberg on the new lawsuits, and instead directed them to an Apple statement issued in January that states that Apple “has always been willing to pay a fair price” to secure patent rights.
In a past complaint against Ericsson, Apple has said that the company “seeks to exploit its patents to take the value of these cutting-edge Apple innovations,” and accused Ericsson of “abusive licensing practices.”
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