Patent Wars: Ribbon Undeterred by Metaswitch’s Litigation Tactic, Continues to Enforce its IPR

Ribbon says in a recent statement that Metaswitch’s latest lawsuit is yet another attempt to avoid payment for its wrongful use of Ribbon’s Intellectual Property

Ribbon Communications Inc., a global player in secure and intelligent cloud communications, has responded to Metaswitch’s latest litigation tactic to try to avoid payment for its use of Ribbon’s intellectual property.

Ribbon has and will continue to seek help from the courts to receive compensation for Metaswitch’s widespread use of Ribbon’s trade secrets and patented technology.

It may be recalled that Ribbon originally filed a patent lawsuit against Metaswitch in 2014, and that suit resulted in a jury verdict finding that Metaswitch infringed seven Ribbon patents and owed damages to Ribbon.

In a follow-on lawsuit, Ribbon contends that, despite the jury verdict, Metaswitch continues to use Ribbon’s patented technology and owes damages for that ongoing use. Ribbon also contends, in a separate lawsuit pending in Texas state court, that Metaswitch has been engaged in an orchestrated campaign to steal and use Ribbon’s trade secrets, and that lawsuit is set for trial in April 2019.

In March 2018, Ribbon brought two other patent lawsuits based on Metaswitch’s unauthorized use of ten additional Ribbon patents.

Metaswitch’s most recent lawsuit against Ribbon, under the guise of antitrust violations, attacks Ribbon for bringing suits to protect Ribbon intellectual property rights, even though the Supreme Court has made clear that such suits are protected by the First Amendment and immune from antitrust scrutiny.

Metaswitch’s lawsuit also rehashes allegations that it previously lost in federal court and complains of a Ribbon merger that the federal government already cleared from an antitrust perspective. Ribbon defeated Metaswitch’s claims in earlier cases, including Metaswitch’s claims alleging that Ribbon infringed Metaswitch patents, and Ribbon will vigorously defend itself against Metaswitch’s latest claims.

Franklin “Fritz” Hobbs, Ribbon’s Chief Executive Officer, stated, “It is disappointing that Metaswitch is attempting to relitigate claims that it already lost in federal court. Ribbon will not be deterred by these actions, and we look forward to having Ribbon’s intellectual property rights vindicated and Metaswitch finally paying for its misappropriation of Ribbon technology.”