The Korea Times has reported that Sony Ericsson, which inherited a swathe of GSM patents from its parent companies has begun chasing several South Korean handset manufacturers for GSM license payments.
The paper, citing un-named sources said that LG Electronics, Pantech and Sewon Telecom had all been approached recently by Sony Ericsson regarding the unpaid license fees. According to local government figures, the Sounth Korean manufacturers shipped handsets worth US$7.14 billion in 2002.
"We have been engaged in royalty negotiations with Sony Ericsson," an official of LG Electronics told the newspaper, asking not to be named said. "No specific agreements have been made in terms of how to pay GSM royalties,"
The paper noted analysts reports that the royalties could harm local manufacturers, who are already suffering from a downturn in local demand for CDMA handsets."
Posted to the site on 22nd April 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/8730.php