Earlier this week, Ericsson filed a lawsuit against Samsung in the United States. The company claimed that the South Korean tech giant violated its contractual commitments and even failed to negotiate a patent license and related payments.
According to the FierceWireless report, the telecommunications giant accused Samsung of violating its basic patent licensing obligations under the FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) clause.
In addition, Ericsson hopes to make a declarative ruling that the company abides by its own licensing commitments.
A Samsung spokesperson contacted FierceWireless via email and said: “Once a complaint is received, we will review it and determine an appropriate response.”
Ericsson said in a statement issued on December 11 that if the renewal negotiations are not reached before the current agreement expires, Ericsson’s payment of intellectual property royalties may be delayed.
According to telecom equipment providers, due to delays in patent fees and potential litigation costs, Ericsson’s operating income from the first quarter of next year will reach approximately US$118 to US$177 million.
Ericsson filed a lawsuit against Samsung in the Eastern District Court of Texas. In the complaint, the company stated: “Without 4G and 5G technologies and Ericsson’s inventions, smartphones and other mobile devices would not be able to provide continuous video, streaming and game access. Consumers look forward to today.” It further added, Both parties “know that Samsung will owe Ericsson a substantial balance payment.”
