RSSSprint Sues Vonage Over VoIP Patent
By Ed Oswald | Published October 5, 2005, 11:22 AM
Sprint Nextel late Tuesday announced that it had filed suit against two Internet telephone providers -- Vonage and Voiceglo -- accusing the companies of violating patents surrounding the processing and delivery of packets in a voice over IP (VoIP) connection.
Altogether Sprint claims seven patents were violated: four having to do with the "method, system and apparatus for telecommunications control," and three surrounding the "broadband telecommunications system."
Sprint spokesperson Debra Peterson told BetaNews that the company is seeking a injunction that would prevent further use of Sprint's technologies, and monetary damages related to the two company's past use of the technologies without Sprint's permission.
Vonage spokesperson Katherine Foster said that the company would not comment on the lawsuit. Voiceglo, however, issued a statement Tuesday evening.
"Voiceglo's technology is unique, proprietary and patent pending. Though we are still reviewing the complaint, we believe that it has no merit and we believe that in due course the courts will agree with us and ultimately settle the matter in our favor," Ed Cespedes, President of theglobe.com and Voiceglo, said.
The lawsuit carries more than just a possible legal problem for Vonage. The company was in the process of preparing for an IPO, and Tuesday's news could put the public offering on hold indefinitely if Vonage cannot get the suit dismissed.
It is also not immediately clear how a win by Sprint could affect the operations of the two providers. Vonage stands to lose the most as the nation's number one VoIP provider with over 1 million customers.
I worked on Sprint's VoIP switch from 2000 - 2003. Project was canned due to the proposed merger with MCI - which never came about.
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Can't innovate 'cuz we fired all our smart employees and outsourced everything overseas... but we did keep the lawyers... so we can always litigate! Hooyah!
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It is disappointing to see a company litigate their way over a more innovative competitor. I have not seen the actual patent so I don't know if this is baseless or just delayed.
Sprint and the other telco's have had the ability to roll out this technology for years but have chosen not to do it because it is not as profitable as their existing products. Why should they spend money on new infrastructure to take money out of thier own pockets. Now that they are seeing someone else take their customers, we see the response...litigation, not competition...
Only the lawyers win here...it is very sad. That company will never get my business, but there were already many reasons for that.
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heh "Sprint" OHHHH noes!! we are losing money cause we are greedy corporate slimeballs. "Sprint lawyer" Why be creative we can just sue them so they lose money and we can get back on top and double our rates to make even more money. "Sprint" Awesome idea lets screw everybody over just so we can make 2% more this quarter andhave more time to see who else we can sue with BS claims so we can get more money and stifle the competition even more cause we are stupid people that cant think of anything better to offer for our services!!
HEH when you cant be creative and inovative enough to offer something to top the competition
just sue them until they can afford to operate anymore due to legal expenses or loss of customer base.
This is why I think spring anf nextel sucked in the first place and this just proves it even more.
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If Sprint "supposedly" had this technology then why wasn't it out there offering broadband VOIP service to the masses?
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their walkie talkie service has been using VOIP for quite a while now.
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It was bound to happen, one of the traditional companies would pull out the lawyers and fire the lawsuits.
Even if it is over patents, you know it’s because they feel threatened by the new guys in town because they’re offering something the regular phone companies can’t really match when it comes to phone service.
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