David Stares down Goliath as Voip-Pal (VPLM) responds to IPRs from Apple and Unified Patents
Spotlight Companies Follow | Saturday, 24 September 2016 09:45 (EST)
The mythical battle between David and Goliath often is used in underdog situations, and specifically in the stock market where a smaller company takes on the leader in the space. These battles, although quick in mythical settings, are elongated fights between lawyers, regulators, politicians and lobbyists. To overcome these odds requires steely conviction on the part of the company, backed by a solid case and a plan that has a protracted war chest. Often the investors are along for the ride holding a lottery ticket they put in the sock drawer. The horizon for Voip-Pal seems a bit more defined after the announcement today.
Voip-Pal.com Inc. (VPLM) announced today the Company’s patent attorneys, Knobbe Martens Olson & Bear LLP have filed responses this week with the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on their behalf to the two Petitions for Inter Partes Review (IPR) by Apple. The responses to the petition challenging the RBR ‘815 patent and the petition challenging the RBR Messaging ‘005 patent were filed on Monday, September 19, 2016, and Wednesday, September 21, 2016 respectively. A decision by the PTAB on whether or not to institute the IPR’s is expected within the next 90 days. The IPR responses to the Apple petitions, and the previously filed Unified Patents petition have been posted on the Company’s website voip-pal.com and may be accessed using this link: IPR.
Earlier this year the US Supreme Court affirmed that PTAB decisions whether or not to institute a trial in IPR petitions is “final and non-appealable.”
Voip-Pal has a combined $7 billion dollars of lawsuits against Apple, Verizon and AT&T for patent infringement. The lawsuits have been temporarily postponed by mutual agreement among the parties until the decisions by the PTAB about instituting the reviews, expected before the end of 2016, has been made. The litigation and the IPRs represent a clear “David and Goliath” fight. Voip-Pal’s current market capitalization is approximately $52 million compared to the combined trillion dollars plus of the defendants: Apple $605 billion, Verizon’s $206 billion, and AT&T’s $244 billion.
CEO, Emil Malak stated, “As with our response to the Unified Patent’s IPR, we invite everyone to read the response to the Apple petitions and draw their own conclusions. While we work diligently to secure the best possible outcome for our shareholders we are reminded during this process as in any legal procedure, patience is a virtue.”
Voip-Pal is one to keep an eye on as David stares down Goliath and we continue the comfort of knowing we have our shares in our sock drawer as the battle rages on.
