Judge Orders Vonage To Stop Using VoIP Patents

[martin]

A U.S district judge approved Verizon's request to block Vonage from using their VoIP patents.

On March 8 a jury found that Vonage infringed three patents and should pay Verizon $58 million.

Cash compensation does not prevent continued erosion of the client base and the customer base. The only hardship to the defendant is loss of revenue.

It will be very interesting to see how this case pans out.

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[affinity]

I don't get it. Is there any detail on each of the three 'infringed' patents and how might that effect other parties such as voxalot.... ? Is voxalot doing anything that could be considered a patent infringement?

The way patent law is going, each patent assigned 'method' could force licensing requirements or market lock out for other parties. Could you imagine engaging a bricklayer, and that bricklayer having to pay license fees to an organization that is able to get a patent or patents on brick laying 'methods' ?

[martin]

The jury found that Vonage had infringed on 3 of the 5 Verizon patents.

The three patents that the jury found Vonage infringed included the patent that covers the VoIP interactivity with the PSTN, as well as ones covering calling features like call forwarding and mobility.

Quote Reference

I think it is still early days to see how this will impact other VoIP providers. Vonage argued that the patents in question were "too broad" and will appeal the verdict.

[andy]

All kinds of power struggles going on - here's another involving Vonage, who are disputing with Minnesota whether state or federal rules apply, or something more abstruse; perhaps they are winning this one so far

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03...court_victory/

Mind you, I've read it three times, and still don't understand it, especially the bit where Vonage denies being a telephone service

[martin]

Originally Posted by andy

All kinds of power struggles going on - here's another involving Vonage, who are disputing with Minnesota whether state or federal rules apply, or something more abstruse; perhaps they are winning this one so far

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/03...court_victory/

Mind you, I've read it three times, and still don't understand it, especially the bit where Vonage denies being a telephone service

Very interesting.

I also found this link over voipuser.org explaining the Verizon patents in question.