Ericsson against Samsung over patent fees in the US

Swedish firm claims Korean counterpart violated FRAND commitment 

Ericsson said on Friday that it has filed a lawsuit against Samsung Electronics in the US over violating their contractual agreements related to patent licensing.

The pair are in negotiation over patent licensing fees and the lawsuit is expected to cause delays in this, the Swedish tech firm said.

Operating income could decline by SEK 1-1.5 billion in the first quarter of 2021, the company said.

Ericsson said Samsung was not adhering to FRAND (fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory) commitments it made its calculation for licensing fees. FRAND allows access to standardized IPs for companies and also provides rewards for those who spend advanced research in each generation of cellular standards.

Ericsson had over 54,000 patents and was spending SEK 40 billion a year in research and development, the firm added.