The AOL-Log On America squabble is an old story and was resolved two years ago. Here is the outcome. Some unintentionally funny quotes down below:
06-20-1997
By JOANN LOVIGLIO
Associated Press
PROVIDENCE --- For the second time, an Internet small-fry has emerged victorious in a high-tech David vs. Goliath battle.
Providence-based Log On America reached an out-of-court settlement with America Online, the world's largest on-line service provider, company officials announced yesterday.
The issue was whether Log On America's name was too similar to AOL's. In October, Log On America reached an out-of-court settlement that allowed it to continue using a logo that Columbus, Ohio-based CompuServe said was too similar to its own. CompuServe is the world's second largest on-line service provider.
"It demonstrates that . . . it doesn't matter how big you are if you're willing to stand up for what you believe in," Log On America president and founder David Paolo said.
Under the settlement, Dulles, Va.-based America Online will pay an undisclosed sum to reimburse Log On America for its legal fees and will drop claims of copyright infringement, Paolo said.
In return, Log On America agreed to drop its federal lawsuit against America Online and promised not to use the word "on-line" after its name, which it never has done, Log On America lawyer Michael Feldhuhn said.
AOL spokesman Tricia Primrose confirmed the settlement terms.
"This was a minor dispute about the use of a trademark and we were pleased that we could amicably resolve it," she said.
The dispute began when a lawyer for AOL wrote Log On America on Jan. 8 and requested information about the company. The letter from Washington trademark attorney Douglas Bush stressed the need to "avoid use of confusingly similar names or marks."
"There's no firm that can claim the exclusive right to the word 'America, ' " said Paolo, who called AOL's move "a fact-finding mission to try to gather enough facts to sue us."
As it did in the dispute with CompuServe, Log On America filed a preemptive lawsuit in U.S. District Court asking a judge to rule that Log On America may keep its name.
The settlement was reached late Wednesday, Feldhuhn said.
Log On America, founded in 1992, began using the name to provide Internet access in 1993. AOL began providing Internet access in 1995, although it earlier offered other on-line services such as e-mail.
Paolo said no other lawsuits are pending.
"I can't imagine any other company crazy enough to send us another one," he said with a laugh.
Log On America serves corporate and large private accounts such as Brown University, Providence College, Roger Williams University and the world headquarters for Subway sandwich shops in Milford, Conn.
Log On America was acquired by Global TeleMedia International of Atlanta in January, which paid no money up front for the firm, but agreed to assume its liabilities of about $241,000, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission documents.
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