Ericsson keen to settle patent dispute with ZTE

Ericsson is hoping to reach an agreement with Chinese infrastructure company ZTE over their respective patent lawsuits, Ericsson’s CEO, Hans Vestberg has said.

Earlier this year, Ericsson filed a lawsuit against ZTE over allegations of patent infringement in the UK, and reportedly also in Italy and Germany – apparently after years of negotiation did not deliver a settlement. ZTE responded by filing a lawsuit of its own against Ericsson in China.

ZTE is also seeking patent invalidation procedures against Ericsson before the patent re-examination board of SIPO (China’s State Intellectual Property Organisation).

“The telecommunication industry is an industry (in which) we share technologies with competitors, customers and suppliers … Hopefully we can get an agreement (with ZTE),” said Vestberg. He made the remarks at a news briefing during a one-day business trip to Beijing.