[Caymancroc]

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/...ckberry-phones

FINNISH PHONE MAKER Nokia looks set to seek a ban on Blackberry smartphones, following a ruling that Research in Motion (RIM) infringes its wireless patents.
An arbitration tribunal ruled that the Blackberry maker infringes Nokia's wireless local access network (WLAN) patents, saying that RIM must first agree royalties before manufacturing or selling WLAN products.
Nokia said it has filed cases in the UK, US and Canada to enforce the ruling, which could see Blackberry smartphones removed from store shelves.
A Nokia spokesperson told The INQUIRER, "Nokia and RIM agreed a cross-license for standards-essential cellular patents in 2003, which was amended in 2008.
"In 2011, RIM sought arbitration, arguing that the license extended beyond cellular essentials. In November 2012, the arbitration tribunal ruled against RIM. It found that RIM was in breach of contract and is not entitled to manufacture or sell WLAN products without first agreeing royalties with Nokia.
"In order to enforce the Tribunal's ruling, we have now filed actions in the US, UK and Canada with the aim of ending RIM's breach of contract."
If Nokia's sought after sales ban goes ahead, things could be about to get a whole lot worse for RIM, which is already struggling to compete in the smartphone market. It could also see Windows Phone taking the number three spot ahead of Blackberry, suggesting that this is a tactical move on Nokia's part.
"This could have a significant financial impact, as all Blackberry devices support WLAN, although the volumes are currently very low in these countries," IDC analyst Francisco Jeronimo said to Reuters.
RIM has not yet responded to our request for comment.

[sydsam]

Rollin like em big boys...

[TomJasper]

At worst Nokia gets their 10 cents per phone ( FRAND terms of course) but I expect this to be in courts for a long time yet. Nokia must really be liking Blackberry's upside with BB10.

Also, this is OLD news as arbitration ruling was issued on November 6 2012. Nokia is making a public show now to try and pressure RIM, yawn.

[robertdusa]

Is it a real patent, or just some finnish guy/gal at Nokia years ago that "invented" the idea of putting wifi into a mobile phone?

Now if Nokia is the company responsible for creating wifi itself, then fine.

[GTiLeo]

I guess this is to try and regain market share thing is wp8 doesn't seem to impressive and won't likely do as well as they think. RIM posses a threat so nokia is trying to pull them down

[walt63]

Its a darn shame that companies can't accept competition anymore. Once they feel threatened, they look to sue.

I may wrong, but I didn't see RIM crying when the Apple and Droid started to strive.

[morlock_man]

I'd like to see Nokia get curbstomped over this.

[silversun10]

compared with doomsday threads like BB10 will fail this actually puts a positive spin on BB10, Nokia actually believes RIM is still worth the paper that a lawsuit is written on,
not everybody is so exited about BB10's............best news of the day so far

[npisano]

Nokia said it has filed cases in the UK, US and Canada to enforce the ruling, which could see Blackberry smartphones removed from store shelves.

Yes, I'm sure RIM would just say "Oh well" and let all blackberries be removed from store shelves. Obviously something will be worked out before that was to happen. Nothing like media over-dramatization!

[randall2580]

This is not a simple FRAND case. RIM say that they had a previous agreement with Nokia that covered this. Nokia said not so and RIM must agree to a per phone cost. They went to an arbitrator in Europe and the arbitrator ruled in Nokia's favor. Not sure how things work in the UK/Canada but here in the USA when parties agree to arbitration they agree that will be the last word on the subject, with no ability to further appeal. Nokia is now seeking to enforce the decision of the arbitrator in US, UK and Canada courts that until RIM agree to payments, they should not be able to sell a phone with wifi in them (ie most if not all of them).

I have read through most of what I could find on the subject and I do not see any comment from RIM at all including that they will appeal the decision - and again I dont know European/Canada laws but here in the States they generally speaking would not have that option coming out of arbitration.

[leafs123]

Nice response by RIM on twitter.

BlackBerry News ‏@BlackBerryNews
RIM has built an industry-leading IP portfolio of its own and will respond to Nokia's petitions in due course ^KS

[itsyaboy]

Damn! Now where is this ugly train going? Sure hope they can work something out. Delaying again won't be good..

[ekafara]

Nice response by RIM on twitter.

BlackBerry News ‏@BlackBerryNews
RIM has built an industry-leading IP portfolio of its own and will respond to Nokia's petitions in due course ^KS

Just came here to post that. I don't believe RIM is too shaken up by this. Could get ugly in a hurry though.

[mrfreetruth]

The market said who cares nokia as the SP EXPLODES HIGHER 4%....so far. Only the media (hedge funds) are making a big deal out of nothing.

[Wiki Cydia]

I may wrong, but I didn't see RIM crying when the Apple and Droid started to strive.

Which RIM patents did Apple and Google violate?

[hkkelvinlee]

What Nokia is trying to do, in my personal view, is very below belt. Nokia is Nokia no more. I liked their feature phone a while back but after this I will buy no more Nokia products nor WP phone in future.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9800 using Tapatalk

[lnichols]

Nokia is hemorrhaging through money, even with Microsoft's $250 Million per quarter payout for Nokia to make Lumia phones. That combined with abysmal Lumia sales (RIM is selling more BBOS devices) is pissing Nokia off. I'm sure that with as long as RIM has been in the game that they can find infringements being done by Nokia, and the other major players. I'm glad to see that RIM appears to be heading towards a fight on this.

[JeepBB]

I'd like to see Nokia get curbstomped over this.

Why would Nokia get stomped?

All the reports of this that I've read, and it's in most news/industry outlets, say that Nokia and RIM agreed to go to binding arbitration in Sweden over whether use of "something" was inside or outside the scope of a previous agreement. RIM lost and the arbitrator gave the verdict to Nokia.

Apparently an arbitration verdict in one country is valid in all countries that are signatory to an international agreement - US, UK, Canada are all signatories.

I'm not sure what there is for RIM to fight through the courts, but I doubt it'll get that far. Nokia's threat to have BB's removed from sale is surely intended to concentrate RIM's mind to agree a price/phone for the licence fee.

[leafs123]

I like the calm response. Sometimes they don't comment on this stuff.

[skyrocket9]

Yes, I'm sure RIM would just say "Oh well" and let all blackberries be removed from store shelves. Obviously something will be worked out before that was to happen. Nothing like media over-dramatization!

It's not good for RIM anyways...

[metz9444]

Well with all the noise Balmer is making about No.3 etc, it is hard not to draw a connection betweem Nokia all of a sudden bring this issue up. Microsoft/Nokia � RIM � battle for 3rd � anything and everything is going to be used

[independentvolume]

Nokia is hemorrhaging through money, even with Microsoft's $250 Million per quarter payout for Nokia to make Lumia phones. That combined with abysmal Lumia sales (RIM is selling more BBOS devices) is pissing Nokia off. I'm sure that with as long as RIM has been in the game that they can find infringements being done by Nokia, and the other major players. I'm glad to see that RIM appears to be heading towards a fight on this.

Correction, Nokia phone division is losing money. The rest of Nokia is profitable. The reports of Nokia treading water are as wrong as the reports of Blackberry doing the same. Also, Nokia has one of the biggest Patent portfolios in the world. , they make 10+ dollars on every iphone sold. The problem with Nokias phone division is that they spend way too much on research and development. It should pay off in the end. Perhaps it is now since they can't keep up with demand for their lumia line.
http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/07/...k-could-doubl/
Here is a look into Nokia. Over 10,000 patents and counting.

[RubberChicken76]

I'm really not too worried about it personally. They'll come to an agreement long before this and BlackBerrys will not be in danger of being pulled.

I would bet RIM will poke at something it owns that NOKIA has infringed on, they'll come to a cross-license agreement and both will carry on their merry way.

[Tre Lawrence]

Which RIM patents did Apple and Google violate?

LOL. Exactly. Like RIM is some kindly entity too stupid to sue when its intellectual property is stolen.

LOL.

[Tre Lawrence]

I like the calm response. Sometimes they don't comment on this stuff.

There really is no comment to be made.

This is par for the course. Everyone sues everyone. It's all business; RIM will settle, and move on. Sky ain't falling yet.