U.S. bans some cellphone imports in Qualcomm case
Posted on 08 June 2007 by admin
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – On Thursday, The US International Trade Commission has issued a ban on importing some of the cell phone models, which contain Qualcomm’s chips. According to the Commission, these chips infringe on the patent issued to Broadcom Corporation. The models covered in the import ban include new cell phone models that contain the infringing chips, but also exempt those imported for sale to the general public on or before the June 7, 2007 date of its order.
"The commission determined that barring importation of downstream products, with an exemption for certain previously imported models, will substantially reduce the burdens imposed on third parties while affording meaningful relief to the patent holder," the ITC said in its order. This ban has sparked fears in other major US wireless carriers because their cell phones use a chips with EV-DO technology, which allows their users access the internet, music and video over the waves.
In a response to the ban, Qualcomm executives said they would look at ways to create designs that would avoid infringing the Broadcom patents but said this would take time as manufacturers and service providers would have to approve the changes.
