Commission to Determine Whether to Preclude Qualcomm from Importing RF &
Baseband Cellular Products that Infringe Broadcom Patents
WASHINGTON, D.C., Feb. 15 – LAWFUEL – The Law News Network – Broadcom Corporation (Nasdaq: BRCM), a global leader in semiconductors for wired and wireless
communications, announced the commencement today of the United States
International Trade Commission (ITC) hearing regarding the alleged
infringement of three Broadcom patents by Qualcomm Incorporated
(Nasdaq: QCOM). Qualcomm products accused of infringing the Broadcom patents
include baseband processor chips and transmitter/receiver (radio) chips and
power control chips that comprise Qualcomm’s core suite of multimedia,
enhanced and convergence handset platforms.
The hearing, conducted before ITC Administrative Law Judge Charles E.
Bullock, will determine whether Qualcomm has engaged in unfair trade practices
by importing into the U.S. chips and chipsets that infringe one or more of the
Broadcom patents.
Broadcom is seeking a permanent exclusion order that would bar the
importation into the United States of infringing Qualcomm chips, as well as
products, such as third party cellular handsets, that incorporate Qualcomm’s
infringing chips. Broadcom is also requesting a cease and desist order barring
further sales of infringing products that have already been imported into the
United States by Qualcomm.
The remedy phase of the ITC proceeding will be heard by Judge Bullock in
July 2006, with the corresponding target date for completion of the ITC
investigation set for December 2006. The ITC action is the first of several
patent disputes between Broadcom and Qualcomm to go to trial. In February
2007 the U.S. District Court in Santa Ana, California is scheduled to try
Broadcom’s claims of alleged infringement of five additional Broadcom patents
by Qualcomm. Additionally, Qualcomm and Broadcom have other, later-filed
patent disputes pending in U.S. District Court in San Diego, California.
Following conclusion of the ITC proceedings, Broadcom will also litigate in
the Santa Ana District Court the three patents that are the subject of the
current ITC hearing.
In total and to date, Broadcom has alleged that Qualcomm’s baseband, RF
and power management products infringe 18 different Broadcom patents.
Broadcom currently has over 1,250 issued U.S. patents and over 3,600 patent
applications pending.
Separately, Broadcom has filed an antitrust suit against Qualcomm that is
pending in U.S. District Court in Trenton, New Jersey, and has joined five
other mobile wireless technology companies in filing complaints in the
European Commission alleging that Qualcomm has engaged in anticompetitive
conduct in the licensing of its patents and the sale of its chipsets for
mobile wireless devices and systems. The six companies allege that Qualcomm is
violating EU competition law and failing to meet the commitments it made to
international standard bodies to license its technology on fair, reasonable
and non-discriminatory terms.
About Broadcom
Broadcom Corporation is a global leader in semiconductors for wired and
wireless communications. Our products enable the delivery of voice, video,
data and multimedia to and throughout the home, the office and the mobile
environment. Broadcom provides the industry’s broadest portfolio of
state-of- the-art system-on-a-chip and software solutions to manufacturers of
computing and networking equipment, digital entertainment and broadband access
products, and mobile devices. These solutions support our core mission:
Connecting everything(R).
Broadcom, one of the world’s largest fabless semiconductor companies with
annual revenue of more than $2.5 billion, is headquartered in Irvine, Calif.,
and has offices and research facilities in North America, Asia and Europe.
Broadcom may be contacted at 1-949-450-8700 or at http://www.broadcom.com .
Safe Harbor Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995:
All statements included or incorporated by reference in this release,
other than statements or characterizations of historical fact, are
forward- looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on our
current expectations, estimates and projections about our industry and
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Important factors that may cause such a difference for Broadcom include,
but are not limited to, our ability to prevail in the federal lawsuits and
United States International Trade Commission proceeding against Qualcomm; the
ability of our patents to protect our intellectual property; our ability to
enforce our intellectual property rights; and the risks associated with
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litigation, the potential diversion of management’s attention that may result
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filings discuss the foregoing risks as well as other important risk factors
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in this release speak only as of this date. We undertake no obligation to
revise or update publicly any forward-looking statement for any reason.
Broadcom Business Press Contact
Bill Blanning
Vice President, Public Relations
949-926-5555
blanning@broadcom.com
Broadcom Financial Analyst Contact
T. Peter Andrew
Vice President, Investor Relations
949-926-5663
pandrew@broadcom.com
