RIM Calls for Patent System Reform

Research In Motion has publicly called for a review of the way patents are awarded in the USA following their massive payment to settle the patent lawsuit from NTP. Writing in an open letter published on their website, Mike Lazaridis, president and co-chief executive of RIM; and Jim Balsillie, chairman and co-chief executive of the company questioned why the patent system brought them to the situation of nearly closing their network.

The letter said "As to the lingering question of why the patent system should allow such a bizarre set of circumstances to threaten millions of American customers in the first place, we share your concern. The good news is that this topic is currently receiving much more attention from policymakers and the Supreme Court and we hope the patent system will evolve to close the loopholes and become more balanced."

They noted that the "BlackBerry is here to stay" and observed the interest that the patent litigation had generated in the media - as they put it "Who knew that patent litigation and the subject of patent reform could ever become such mainstream topics of conversation?"

Posted to the site on 16th March 2006