Ericsson cries foul over competitors' use of its patents

Consumers benefit immensely from global standards in telecommunications. It allows them to use their phones almost anywhere in the world, without facing compatibility issues. But many of these standards are patented by Ericsson, and the Swedish company says it should get paid significantly more for licences. Competitors disagree. They want these licences to be available more cheaply so that they can offer consumers a choice of devices. Ericsson's Chief IP Officer Kasim Alfalahi tells IAM's Editor in Chief Joff Wild there is a huge disincentive to keep investing in research and development if Ericsson cannot achieve a fair and reasonable return on it.