Microsoft Complains to the EU About Motorola Mobility

From PC World: Microsoft has filed a formal complaint with the European Commission against Motorola Mobility for alleged abuse of essential patents.

Microsoft Deputy General Counsel, Dave Heiner, said on his blog on Wednesday that Motorola was attempting to block sales of Windows PCs, Xbox game console and other Microsoft products. The news comes just a week after Apple made a similar complaint against Motorola Mobility.

The complaints center around the licensing of essential patents. Essential patents, such as those need for 3G, GSM or the video standard H.264, are those which are required in order for products to operate according to developed industry standards. They were defined by industry leaders in order to allow companies to build compatible products.

Because they are crucial for all market players, standard-setting organizations require the holders of standard essential patents to license them to any interested third parties on fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND) terms. The European Commission also expects strict adherence to FRAND principles.

Motorola holds many of these essential patents, including the H.264 codec, and had promised to make them available under FRAND terms. However according to Heiner, "Motorola has broken its promise."

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