Roy Mark

Qualcomms tangled patent war with Nokia and Broadcom got more complicated Sept. 18 when the International Trade Commission announced an investigation into whether the San Diego chipmaker is violating patents held by Nokia of Finland. The investigation follows a June 7 order by the ITC in a separate case banning the import of certain 3G […]

U.S. Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) want wireless carriers to change the way they do business, including offering consumers prorated early termination fees for switching carriers. In legislation introduced Sept. 7, the two lawmakers called for a wide range of new policies calling for wireless carriers to provide “simple, clear information” on […]

Leap Wireless has rejected MetroPCS takeover offer that would have created the nations fifth largest wireless carrier, claiming that the tax-free stock swap valued at more than $5 billion was “completely inadequate in a number of critical areas.” In a Sept. 16 letter from Leap President and CEO S. Douglas Hutcheson to MetroPCS, Hutcheson said […]

Cisco Systems announced Sept. 18 it plans to acquire Cognio, a spectrum analysis and management firm for wireless networks. Cognio, based in Germantown, Md., specializes in isolating interference problems in wireless networks, thus simplifying network management. According to Cisco officials, the acquisition will provide Cisco with both complementary and differentiating technology, along with intellectual property […]

The Sept. 17 decision by the European Court of First Instance to force Microsoft to license certain Windows proprietary technology and intellectual property rights to competitors may ultimately hurt consumers, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Thomas O. Barnett, the DOJs point man on antitrust matters, said in a statement issued Sept. 17 that […]

Will Microsoft appeal the ruling by the European Unions second-highest court that the software maker abused its dominant market position to the detriment of competitors? Microsoft officials arent saying. “We have not made that decision yet. We need time to read and re-read the decision,” Brad Smith, Microsofts general counsel, said at a Luxembourg press […]

Under legislation signed Sept. 13 by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California has banned the use of cell phones and other digital devices by teenagers while driving. California joins 15 other states and the District of Columbia in prohibiting teen multitasking while behind the wheel. According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), teen drivers are […]

A month after being on the losing end of a critical legal ruling in its campaign to claim ownership of the Unix and UnixWare copyrights, the SCO Group filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection from its creditors. SCO said it plans to maintain all normal business operations throughout the bankruptcy proceedings. According to a SCO […]

California may be on the brink of establishing another precedent setting data breach law following the states landmark 2003 measure that requires companies to publicly disclose breaches of their databases. In a bill that now only awaits Gov. Arnold Schwarzeneggers signature, the Consumer Data Protection Act would require retailers responsible for lost data to reimburse […]

Verizon Wireless is legally challenging the Federal Communications Commissions rules for Januarys 700MHz spectrum auction mandating an open network accessible to all legal devices and software. In a Sept. 10 filing with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, the nations second largest wireless carrier calls the rules “arbitrary, capricious and…contrary to […]

Completing a recapitalization deal announced in June, Palm shareholders, Sept. 12, approved a $325 million investment in the handheld maker by Elevation Partners, handing the private equity firm a 25 percent stake in Palm. The deal also calls for Palm to borrow up to $400 million in an associated debt financing and make a cash […]

Seven mobile phone companies can temporarily continue importing handsets and other wireless devices with Qualcomm 3G chips, a federal appeals court said Sept. 12. The ITC (International Trade Commission) ordered a ban on the products June 7 after determining Qualcomm infringed on a power-saving patent held by Broadcom. But in a rare legal victory this […]