Google, Verizon Enter Patent Agreement

By Angela Chen 

Google Inc. and Verizon Communications Inc. have entered a long-term patent cross-license agreement to reduce the risk of future patent lawsuits.

"This cross license allows both companies to focus on delivering great products and services to consumers around the world," said Kirk Dailey, Google's head of patent transactions.

The Web-search company, which had troubles with patent litigation in the past, has also reached far-reaching patent cross-licensing agreements with both Samsung Electronics Co. and Cisco Systems Inc.

Facing patent lawsuits for many of its services, including its Android mobile-device operating system, it responded by purchasing a large number of patents for itself, including some patents from International Business Machines Corp. in 2011.

Meanwhile, in May this year, Google and Apple Inc. agreed to drop all lawsuits between them, including one that covers Apple's patent litigation with Google's Motorola unit. Motorola sued Apple for patent infringement in 2010, and Apple had countersued.

Technology companies have gotten used to patent litigation in recent years. The biggest players have sued and countersued in the U.S. and elsewhere, accusing each other of stealing their inventions.

Write to Angela Chen at [e-mail]

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