BlackBerry Slaps Nokia With A Patent Infringement Lawsuit

Shares of Nokia Corp (ADR) NOK were trading slightly lower by 0.20 percent early Wednesday after BlackBerry Ltd BBRY filed a patent-infringement lawsuit.

According to a Bloomberg report, the Canada-based company is demanding the Finland-based company pay royalties on its mobile network products that use an industry-wide technology standard.

The Lawsuit

BlackBerry argued in its filing that Nokia's products such as its Flexi Multiradio base stations, radio network controllers and Liquid Radio software make use of technology that is covered by up to 11 patents.

Related Link: Blackberry In Danger Of Closing Under $7 Once Again

Some of the patents once belonged to the defunct telecom equipment maker Nortel Networks, and Nokia even tried to buy the patents in 2009. However, BlackBerry was part of a consortium that succeeded in acquiring Nortel's patents in 2011 for $4.5 billion.

Moreover, BlackBerry argued that Nokia is aware of the patents since Nokia's team has cited the very same patents in some of its own patent applications.

BlackBerry didn't specify how much money it is seeking.

In a statement to Bloomberg, the company said it "seeks to obtain recompense for Nokia's unauthorized use of BlackBerry's patented technology."

In a brief statement to Benzinga, Nokia's communications manager Reija Sihlman said, "We're aware of the complaint, will study the claims made and take whatever steps are necessary to defend our rights."