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False Words From Qualcomm CEO Paul Jacobs?

In a Financial Times article that appeared on Sunday, Paul Jacobs, CEO of CDMA technology developer Qualcomm, was quoted as saying he hopes Armageddon can be avoided between his company and Nokia when their existing patent agreement ends next Monday. Today, Qualcomm slapped Nokia with yet more patent-related lawsuits. What gives, Paul?

The cross-licensing agreement that ends on Monday, April 9, concerns the royalties that Nokia pays to Qualcomm for licensing Qualcomm's CDMA technology in its handsets. Nokia believes the 4.5% it's paying Qualcomm is too much and wants to renegotiate come next week. Qualcomm, of course, thinks its fees are perfectly reasonable in light of the time and money it invested in developing the technology.

In a separate lawsuit filed today, Qualcomm is alleging that Nokia is infringing on five patents related to how GSM/GPRS/EDGE phones download applications over wireless networks. Qualcomm wants an injunction levied against Nokia to halt the sales of the handsets with the related technology.

So, how will things work out next week after the agreement ends? I say more lawsuits, such as today's, aren't a good way to head into the contract negotiations and avoid Armageddon, Mr. Jacobs. The words he uttered on Sunday ring false in light of Qualcomm's aggressive protection of its patented technology.

You can't have it both ways.

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