ZTE has stepped up its legal biteback against Huawei, filing further suits seeking to invalidate several of its compatriot's patents and a trademark.

The actions follow Huwaei's patent infringement lawsuit against ZTE, filed last week, which brought almost immediate countersuits from its smaller rival. The two vendors have sometimes been treated by western observers like a cosy duo, but in fact are bitter competitors in the infrastructure and device markets, and both have been vocal about the need to establish strong IPR positions in order to be powerful 4G players.

ZTE told Dow Jones that ZTE's new actions involved a suit filed in China's State Intellectual Property Office, looking to invalidate some Huawei 'family patents' that were registered in multiple jurisdictions. ZTE also lodged a suit in France, this one challenging Huawei patents in a USB connector, and it has petitioned the European Commission to revoke a trademark certification. Its initial countersuit had been brought in China.

Huawei's suits were filed last week in Germany, France and Hungary and alleged patent and trademark infringements related to LTE and to wireless modems. The two Chinese vendors are leaders in the latter market and have often used strength in modems and data cards as a bridgehead into new geographies or carriers. Huawei has also accused ZTE of illegally using its trademark by embedding Huawei technology into a dongle and using the Huawei logo without paying licensing fees.

ZTE is also retaliating against legal action brought against it by Ericsson in the UK, Germany and Italy. ZTE has announced its own patent claims against Ericsson in China.

Source:www.rethink-wireless.com