The recent decision by little-known Acceris Communications to take aim at 14 US 'voice over internet protocol' (VoIP) service providers over patent infringement claims has come under fire from some quarters of the hi-tech industry, according to reports.
In a letter sent to the 14 firms asserting ownership of US Patents Number 6,438,123 and 6,243,373, Acceris announced that:
"These patents, which were originally filed in 1995 and 1996, cover the basic technology that enables voice over internet protocol telephone communication as it is currently being used in the marketplace. Without the intellectual property originally articulated in these patents, your company, and the communications industry generally, could not be growing and attracting customers using VoIP today."
Although the response of the 14 firms in question to the threat of a "protracted and potentially costly legal dispute" if they do not license the patents from Acceris is not yet known, the initiative has been referred to as a "patent trolling expedition" by sections of the technology media.
Observers have also warned that if Acceris' patent infringement claims are supported by a judge, a long shadow may be cast on the burgeoning VoIP industry, both in the United States and worldwide.
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