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New Nokia CEO Forced to Eat His Words
May 25, 2006


TMCnet News

http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com/hot-topics/wireless/articles/1318-new-nokia-ceo-forced-eat-his-wo....

By Kumar Amitav Chaliha
TMCnet Contributing Writer

New Nokia CEO Olli-Pekka Kallasvu didn’t even have time to eat his words. Even as he announced that he intends to make the Finnish phone maker the most admired and respected company in the world, news came in of wireless technology supplier Qualcomm Inc. suing Nokia (News - Alert) over patent infringements in the UK.

Qualcomm (News - Alert) yesterday filed a suit against Nokia for allegedly infringing on two of its patents in the UK. The patents are for mobile devices that are capable of operating in accordance with the GPRS and/or EDGE standards (but don’t have CDMA capability).

The proceedings of the suit seek an injunction against Nokia. Qualcomm has also asked for damages for phones already sold in the market using the technology, according to a press release.

Earlier this week, Kallasvu announced with great fanfare his intention of making Nokia the best company in the world.

“The right ambition ... is to make Nokia the most loved and admired brand in the world, all industries included,” Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said at an investor meeting in the United States earlier in the week, according to Reuters. “That is very much what I am pushing for.”

The suit Qualcomm filed is an extension of the patent infringement litigation filed by the company against Nokia in the U.S. last November.

The two companies have a history of fighting over technology licensing and patent issues.

In published reports, Kallasvuo has said the ongoing disputes with Qualcomm will not be solved overnight, yet he is committed to making peace.

“I think we really need to be focused on making this happen,” Reuters quoted him as saying “It is very clear that IPR discussion in our industry, in any industry, takes quite a while.”

Qualcomm is a San Diego, Calif.-based wireless technology supplier. The company is a leader in developing and delivering innovative digital wireless communications products and services based on CDMA and other advanced technologies.

Nokia is the world’s largest mobile phone manufacturer.

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Kumar Amitav Chaliha is a contributing writer to TMCnet.