Microsoft Files Antitrust Lawsuit Against InterDigital

(RTTNews) - Microsoft Corp.(MSFT) filed U.S. antitrust lawsuit in federal court in Wilmington, Delaware, claiming InterDigital Inc. (IDCC) has been violating its pledge to offer fair and reasonable licenses on patents related to fundamental mobile-phone technology, according to several reports.

The lawsuit was filed a week before a U.S. trade agency is scheduled to rule on a long-running dispute in which InterDigital is seeking royalties on Microsoft-made Nokia phones.

Microsoft reportedly said in its complaint that it wants to stop "InterDigital's abusive licensing practices and unlawful monopolization" in the field of third- and fourth-generation cellular technologies. It said InterDigital has "engaged in an unlawful scheme to acquire and exploit monopoly power over technology necessary for companies to make 3G and 4G cellular devices."

The trade case was first filed in August 2007, before Nokia sold its handset business to Microsoft. While the International Trade Commission's main power lies in its ability to block imports of products into the U.S., Wilmington-based InterDigital has said the primary goal of its litigation is to push for a licensing agreement.