InterDigital and Nokia
Hi Barty,
Good to see you checking in here ...
<< txs eric ... so what do you think IDCC will end up getting from Noks? >>
I can't really even hazzard a sensible guess.
Other than what we have seen in Nokia's 20-F's since Nokia paid IDT $253 USD for a "fully paid up, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide license to all of IDT’s current patent portfolio, and any patents IDT may later acquire, for purposes of making or selling 2G products, including handsets and infrastructure [and also] resolved disputes related to all Nokia products up to the agreement date" we have not heard many if any public comments {exclusive of pleadings in ourts or the ITC] from Nokia ob the subject.
Rick Simonson's March 25, 2008 comments on market reaction to an InterDigital 8-F filing relating to progress in negotiations with Nokia gave away nothing ...
"I'm a little less optimistic than the market implied yesterday. We always prefer to settle, but we will defend ourselves when the facts are with us."
Dollars, or rate aside, I would think that what results will depend to a great degree on terms, term, and what technoologies are covered.
InterDigital has sought compensation for its claimed IPR and has been threatning Nokia with litigation in the US for the better part of 20 years.
Ilkka Rahnasto, the architect of Nokia's IPR strategy, gave Nokia's view of the long ongoing InterDigital patent dispute in this declaration made to the US District Court here in Delaware in April 2005 ...
wirelessledger.com
I'd think that Nokia would want to see an end to the vexious threats, negotiation, arbitration, and/or litigation they and InterDigital have been engaged in for all too many years, and not have to start the cycle again in just a few years, like Samsung will necessarily be doing.
Ideally they would strike a mutually satisfactory deal similar in terms, term, and 3GPP/IEEE technology covered (but not doallars expended) to that they recently concluded with Qualcomm ...
On July 24, 2008, Nokia and Qualcomm entered into a new license agreement covering various current and future standards and other technologies, and resulted in the settlement of all outstanding litigation between the companies. Under the terms of the 15 year agreement covering various standards, including GSM, EDGE, CDMA, WCDMA, HSDPA, OFDM, WiMax, LTE and other technologies, Nokia has been granted a license under all Qualcomm’s patents for use in Nokia’s mobile devices and Nokia Siemens Networks infrastructure equipment, and Nokia has agreed not to use any of its patents directly against Qualcomm. The financial terms included a one-time lump-sum cash payment of EUR 1.7 billion made by Nokia to Qualcomm in the fourth quarter of 2008 and ongoing royalty payments to Qualcomm. The lump-sum payment made to Qualcomm will be expensed quarterly over the term of the agreement.
How all will resolve, or when it will resolve, is a matter of conjecture that I'm really not qualified to comment further.
Best,
- Eric - |
