AFP/New Delhi
India’s Micromax promised yesterday to try to work out a patent deal with Ericsson after the Swedish equipment-maker sued the leading domestic handset maker for alleged patent infringement.
The company issued the statement after an Indian court on Monday gave an interim ruling in favour of Ericsson, which had filed an $18mn suit against Micromax, accusing it of using its patented technology to make mobile phones.
The suit marks the first high-profile Indian patent litigation case amid a number worldwide, notably between Apple Inc of the US and South Korea’s Samsung Electronics Company.
The court told Micromax to work out what is known as a Fair, Reasonable and Non-Discriminatory, or FRAND, licence agreement with Ericsson.
Handset makers often rely on technologies owned by other firms to make their mobile phones and conclude a FRAND licence agreement when doing so.
“Micromax is committed to negotiating a FRAND licence with Ericsson as Ericsson has undertaken to provide” such a licence to Micromax,” the Indian company said in a statement.
Micromax was also told to pay Ericsson royalties of up to 2% of the sale price of the disputed handset devices and deposit the sum with the court.
A spokesman for Ericsson was not immediately available for comment.