Nokia Corp. announced a new licensing deal with NTP Inc. for wireless e-mail technology, a move that paves the way for Nokia to sell BlackBerry-capable products in the United States, but also comes on the heels of the legal battle between NTP and BlackBerry-maker Research In Motion Ltd.
NTP announced it entered into a licensing agreement with Nokia for the five patents that are at the center of a patent battle between RIM and NTP. Indeed, just last week RIM made its opening remarks in its appeal against a ruling that was in favor of NTP’s patents.
A Nokia spokesman was not immediately available for comment, although the company in reports said the licensing move would allow it to sell BlackBerry-capable products in the United States. Nokia said it would begin selling its BlackBerry-capable 6820 messaging device in the United States within two to three months.
Nokia was in 2002 one of the first handset vendors to license RIM’s BlackBerry wireless e-mail technology. Motorola Inc., Sony Ericsson and others have since followed suit. The deal allows Nokia to install BlackBerry software on its devices, which gives users wireless access to their corporate e-mail through BlackBerry servers. Nokia has been selling its BlackBerry-capable 6820 outside of the United States, but has held off releasing the device in the country due to RIM’s patent battle with NTP.
RIM is currently appealing a ruling that upheld NTP’s patents. NTP’s lawsuit claims RIM’s BlackBerry wireless e-mail technology infringes on its patents and is suing for a cut of RIM’s BlackBerry revenues. The legal wrangling started in 2001, and many expect it will continue through this year.
