Huawei sues Verizon for patent infringement

As reported by CNN, Chinese tech company Huawei filed two lawsuits in US courts against Verizon for patent infringement. The Shenzhen-based company demands that Verizon pays for the use of their patents or refrains from using them.

For years, Huawei has been barred from supplying core equipment to major US carriers. However, the company’s technology has been introduced to and employed by US networks because Verizon purchases telecommunications equipment that uses Huawei’s technology from other vendors. Huawei claims that Verizon has used 12 of its patents without authorization and that Verizon’s products and services have benefited from the technology that Huawei developed. The patents relate to network technology that have been described as “crucial to network functionality.”

The suit fits squarely within Huawei's broader strategy of fighting the US government’s pressure campaign on the company. Namely, Huawei sued the US government last March over a law that banned federal agencies from using its technology, and sued again in December over restrictions from the Federal Communications Commission.

Huawei remains the world's largest telecommunications equipment maker and a leading smartphone brand.

Author: Jaclyn Tilak