Vplm & it patents are no secret, contrary to what many have said before..... thus not surprising that mention of them, (since they claim to be the technical leader of the voip industry & have the voip controlling portfolio, which "cannot be circumvented" (paraphrased) ). I don't see at all how you interpret that pertinent mention of vplm, to equate to value. For the umpteenth time, if the patents had some great (if any) value, Mr big dogs would've snatched it up long ago by now and not only thereby fended off all the back infringement they would eventually beholding to, but they would also, in the one fell swoop, easily & by default, became the real leader of the pack & probably wind up fighting off monopoly charges. This whole vplm patent "story", more & more everyday, seems to be just that...... a whopper of a yarn.... and as time marches on, seems to prove it so.