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Technology Stocks : Qualcomm Incorporated (QCOM) -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: lurqer who wrote (66495)	2/10/2000 3:51:00 PM
From: techguerrilla	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

GSM protective umbrella . . . . is certainly possible. But remember it won't get any protection in U.S. courts where Qualcomm has already had its patents upheld against Ericsson. A protective umbrella would require incredible international cooperation and those telecommunications companies fight each other, too, for territory. They recognize the superiority of Qualcomm's CDMA technology but are rooted in their constructive structures. Qualcomm has made incredible advances in the Orient, particularly in Korea. Samsung and other Korean companies will be Qualcomm's agents into China. As a result, the European companies will either capitulate or watch Europe become a secondary playing field. I liken the European companies to the international equivalent to AT&T here in the United States. They don't want to accept the archaic nature of their fixed structures. Qualcomm may be heading toward protecting its patents in the Hague. But that would be a long, drawn out process, during which time European companies would be forced to accept CDMA technolgy possibly under reduced rates from Qualcomm. As I see it, the first serious corporate battle will be on U.S. turf between Qualcomm and Motorola. In that arena, Motorola recognizes it will not get any relief from the U.S. courts. Ericsson and Nokia will get their cues from that, realizing the patents are rather secure. Basically, the United States patent structure is respected around the world. Witness Qualcomm's recent reenforcement of its patents in Korea. This is all JMHO. But for many years I was an international antitrust attorney for the United States Department of Justice. It's been quite some time, though, since I was really on top of those issues. I see a gorilla in the making. A gorilla with strong patents. Patents that have been protected in the United States and Korea. Technology that is superior and that everyone will want to use. Europe will want to join the party. It will probably do so with carefully drawn out agreements. -Ch‚