Late Friday night, Qualcomm fired the latest salvo in the case, filing documents in which it says, for a second time, that the FTC’s suit should be dismissed because it doesn’t back up the agency’s claims that Qualcomm’s practices hampered competition.
The FTC filed its suit in January, saying Qualcomm imposed “onerous” supply and patent-licensing terms to extract high royalties from cell phone manufacturers and weaken rivals. In April, Qualcomm responded, saying the case didn’t hold water and should be dismissed. That prompted the FTC to file papers last month defending its suit and saying the case should go forward. And that’s what brought on Friday’s filing.
“We note in our reply brief…that the FTC cannot and has not adequately defended its defective complaint,” Don Rosenberg, executive vice president and general counsel for Qualcomm, said in a statement. “The complaint lacks necessary facts and fails to plead a coherent theory of competitive harm. Improperly adding alleged ‘facts’ supplied by competitors’ briefs cannot prop up a deficient complaint.” Qualcomm rivals Samsung and Intel had earlier filed friend-of-the-court briefs in support of the FTC’s case.
The lawsuit continues a pattern of antitrust scrutiny directed at Qualcomm in recent years. In December, the South Korean Fair Trade Commission hit the chipset maker with an $850 million fine for maintaining an “unfair business model” and creating a monopoly with its practices. In February, China fined Qualcomm almost $1 billion as part of a long-running antimonopoly investigation into the company.
Full Content: Phone Arena
Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.
Featured News
Judge Mehta Questions Both Sides in Landmark Google Antitrust Case
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
FCC Urges Urgent Funding for Removal of Chinese Telecom Equipment from U.S. Networks
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
Former Pioneer CEO Facing Potential Criminal Charges For Colluding With OPEC
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
South Korea’s Antitrust Regulator Greenlights K-Pop Powerhouse Deal
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
Exxon’s Pioneer Purchase Approved, Former CEO Barred from Board
May 2, 2024 by
CPI
Antitrust Mix by CPI
Antitrust Chronicle® – Economics of Criminal Antitrust
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Navigating Economic Expert Work in Criminal Antitrust Litigation
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
The Increased Importance of Economics in Cartel Cases
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
A Law and Economics Analysis of the Antitrust Treatment of Physician Collective Price Agreements
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI
Information Exchange In Criminal Antitrust Cases: How Economic Testimony Can Tip The Scales
Apr 19, 2024 by
CPI