“Qualcomm Inc. was fined a record NT$23.4 billion ($773 million) by Taiwan’s Fair Trade Commission in the latest blow from regulators over the way the U.S. company prices mobile phone chips and patents,” Bloomberg News reports. “The company has been violating antitrust rules for at least 7 years and Qualcomm collected NT$400 billion in licensing fees from local companies during that time, the Taiwanese regulator said on its website Wednesday. Qualcomm disagrees with the decision and intends to appeal, the San Diego-based company said in a statement.”
“The Taiwanese regulator said Qualcomm has monopoly market status over key mobile phone standards and by not providing products to clients who don’t agree with its conditions, the U.S. company is violating local laws,” Bloomberg reports. “‘Qualcomm holds big number of standard essential patents in CDMA, WCDMA and LTE segments and is the dominant provider of CDMA, WCDMA and LTE baseband chips,’ the FTC said. ‘It abused its advantage in mobile communication standards, refused to license necessary patents.'”
Bloomberg reports, “Besides the fine, the Fair Trade Commission told Qualcomm to remove previously signed deals that force competitors to provide price, customer names, shipment, model name and other sensitive information as well as other clauses in its agreements.”
Full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: The jig is up, Qualcomm.
Qualcomm’s FRAND abuse must not stand. Qualcomm’s licensing scam — charging a percentage of the total cost of all components in the phone, even non-Qualcomm components — is unreasonable, illogical, and irrational.
SEE ALSO:
Apple faces down Qualcomm, Ericsson over EU patent fees – October 2, 2017
Qualcomm loses two key rulings in its patent royalty fight with Apple – September 21, 2017
Apple’s A11 Bionic obliterates top chips from Qualcomm, Samsung and Huawei – September 18, 2017
U.S. judge rules Apple lawsuits against Qualcomm can proceed – September 8, 2017
Qualcomm CEO expects out of court settlement with Apple – July 18, 2017
Apple-Qualcomm legal dispute likely to be ‘long and ugly’ – July 7, 2017
Qualcomm wants court to block Apple from U.S. iPhone imports and sales – July 6, 2017
Judge rules U.S. FTC antitrust lawsuit against Qualcomm to proceed – June 27, 2017
Apple uses Supreme Court decision to escalate war against Qualcomm – June 20, 2017
Apple’s amended San Diego complaint against Qualcomm leaves no doubt: many billions at stake – June 20, 2017
Apple rejects Qualcomm’s allegation of throttling iPhones, says ‘study’ is ‘methodologically unsound’ – June 20, 2017
Apple just poached one of Qualcomm’s top guys – May 31, 2017
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Readers “Fred Mertz” and “Dan K.” for the heads up.]
The end is nigh and jig is up for Qual-conn.
I think it will be their competitors who will be doing a jig.
Qualcomm is havin’ a worse week than Pervy Weinerstein.
too effin’ bad.
How have these mobsters got away with this for so long.
How have they gotten away with it?
Because it is impossible to build a functioning cellular device without using Qualcomm’s patents. Most companies are scared of finding themselves in a position where they are enjoined from selling infringing devices (i.e., ANY working device). So they submit to extortion because it is the only way to license the patents. Nobody but a government like the Korean FTC or a company the size of Apple has the resources to take Qualcomm on.
on to the pennant!
Never heard of such a demand from a legit company:
“…force competitors to provide price, customer names, shipment, model name….”
Do some legit codmpanies extort this way?
The fine for Qualcom is a joke. They made NT$400 billion in licensing fees and only get NT$23.4 billion. They could fart that much and not even notice
Well, as an American, I have nothing against an American company making as much as it can via its intellectual property in consumer goods. Having said that, the law is the law and monopolies are never good.
Someone in Qualcomm management searched my name over at LinkedIn recently. Apparently, they’re in defensive mode over their dirty doings.
Hi Qualcomm! 😛