Nortel patents sold for USD 4,5 billion

A consortium of technology companies emerged as the winning bidder for all of Nortel's remaining patents and patent applications for a cash purchase price of USD 4.5 billion. The transaction is subject to approval by the United States and Canadian Bankruptcy Courts. The Nortel patent portfolio comprises approximately 6'000 patents and patent applications from information and communication technologies (ICT) industry, including telecommunications, internet search and social networking. It covers mobile, LTE and data networking as well as optical, internet, service provider, semiconductors and other patent portfolios. The companies in the consortium are listed as: Apple, EMC, Ericsson, Microsoft, RIM and Sony. Kasim Alfalahi, Chief Intellectual Property Officer at Ericsson, says: "The Nortel patent portfolio reflects the heritage of more than 100 years of its R&D activities and includes some essential patents in telecommunications and other industries. We believe the consortium is in the best position to utilize the patents in a manner that will be favorable to the industry long term."