CommScope has filed patent infringement lawsuits
in China and begun
legal proceedings in Brazil against Comba Telecom Systems Holdings and its affiliates.
The legal
actions by CommScope, through its Andrew LLC subsidiary, focuses on Comba’s alleged infringement
of the company’s patents related to its remote electrical tilt (RET) technology for base station
antennas used in wireless networks.
CommScope’s
extensive portfolio of patents and intellectual property is the result of years of effort and considerable
monetary investment in research and development,” said Randy Crenshaw, executive vice president and chief
operating officer, CommScope.
These valuable
intellectual property assets are a lifeblood of the company and core to the innovation we deliver to customers
around the world. We have vigorously protected these valuable assets in the past and will continue to do
so in the future,” Crenshaw added.
CommScope’s patented
RET system enables frequent and cost-effective beam adjustment of the variable electrical downtilt of base station antennas, improving the coverage, capacity, and quality of
cellular networks.
CommScope,
through its Andrew LLC subsidiary,
owns various patents around the world covering RET technology and actively defends these rights. To date,
CommScope has licensed its patented RET technology to more than 10 companies around
the world in the communications networking industry.
In China, CommScope, through its Andrew LLC subsidiary, filed lawsuits against several
Comba entities
in the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People’s Court based on Comba’s making, selling and offering for sale
RET antennas that CommScope believes infringe two of its Chinese patents. In
these lawsuits, CommScope is seeking an injunction and past damages for Comba’s infringement.
The lawsuits are ongoing.
In Brazil,
CommScope requested a criminal search and seizure at Comba’s premises in Barueri, Sao Paulo based on its belief
that Comba Ind e Com de Equipamentos de Telecomunicações Ltda was infringing
Andrew LLC’s Brazilian patents.
The request was granted by judicial authorities in
Barueri and, on May 19, 2011, a number of Comba’s RET antennas were seized
together with documents related to the corresponding sales. CommScope fully believes that the
seized products infringe its Brazilian patents and intends to take all necessary additional steps to
enforce its rights against Comba
and any other unauthorized user.
By TelecomLead.com Team
editor@telecomlead.com
