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Vonage Settles With Verizon for at Least $80M

Posted by Zonk on from the tough-room dept.

netbuzz writes "Fresh off agreeing to pay Sprint Nextel $80 million earlier this month, Vonage has now agreed to compensate Verizon at least $80 million to settle their patent dispute, and the total could hit $117 million depending on the outcome of appeals Vonage has pending. 'If Vonage wins rehearing on either the '574 or '711 patent or if the injunction is vacated as to the '574 or '711 patent, Vonage will pay Verizon $80 million. If Vonage does not win rehearing on either the '574 or '711 patent, or if the stay is lifted reinstating the injunction, Vonage will pay Verizon $117.5 million.' And, of course, don't forget AT&T just recently opened charges against the company as well."

5 of 74 comments (clear)

  1. what is this going to do for other VoIP providers? by Lumpy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I chose Broadvoice over Vonnage because I wanted Open access. I.E. use my gear unlocked, use asterisk, etc...

    Will Other Voip companies be targeted after Vonnage is decimated by the telcos?

    --
    Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
  2. Re:Don't forget, no net neutrality by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Once they finish paying all the phone companies for the patents, then the phone and cable companies will come back and demand extra payment to use their networks. Otherwise, Vonage customers will watch their service degrade until it's unusable. This will continue until Vonage is bankrupt. Exactly. All of this corporate racketeering by the telcos has got to be stopped. Hello? EFF? Where are you?
    --
    My blog
  3. Re:Pattent Trolls by Volante3192 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hit them in their pocketbook? You know who that *really* hits, right? Customers.

    Hit them where it REALLY hurts. Pull away their sole right to the lines and put it in a government owned utility company whose sole purpose is to upgrade and maintain the lines. Slap em with common carrier status. Stick em in the Tower of London and make them part of the tour.

    We can do a lot better than just 'pocketbook' here.

  4. Re:Pattent Trolls by timeOday · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I hate the local telco so much I went "vonage only." Through these lawsuits I'll still be paying the local telco anyways. You just can't escape.

  5. Re:Pattent Trolls by HumanPenguin · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Same here.

    but I am still stuck with the voids surrounded by sphincter muscles Comcast. It really is impossible to get a telephone line without one of the big phone companies or the cable monopoly now.

    Also as the main reason I have vonage is for free calls and a local phone line in the UK.

    There is no other US alternative.

    The world IS getting smaller and technology is passing the big Telco's because they have sat on their monopolies rather then use their innovations.

    instead of providing services customers want to pay for they stick their head in the void and sue innovators or bribe politicians.