Ericsson tracks down counterfeiters at CeBIT

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March 3, 2000
Web posted at: 1:13 p.m. EST (1813 GMT)

by Terho Uimonen

(IDG) -- L.M. Ericsson Telephone used the CeBIT show, which closed its doors Wednesday, to hunt down manufacturers of what the mobile phone maker alleged were pirated accessories for its products.

Ericsson representatives during the week-long trade show, held in Hanover, Germany, issued around 30 cease-and-desist letters to more than 10 alleged makers of counterfeit mobile phone accessories, the Stockholm-based mobile phone vendor said in a statement.

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The companies that received the cease-and-desist letters had allegedly illegally used Ericsson's brand on their products or otherwise infringed upon the mobile phone vendor's registered design rights, according to the statement.

In addition, a German court had also issued three injunctions to bar exhibitors from showing and selling counterfeit Ericsson products at the show, Ericsson said.

This was not the first time Ericsson used a trade show to track down makers of pirated mobile phone accessories, including batteries, front panels and cases. Ericsson credited its previous antipiracy efforts for what, according to the company, was a significantly lower number of companies infringing upon its design or trademark rights at this year's CeBIT.

The action was not only aimed at protecting the Ericsson brand, the company said, but also at protecting its customers. The use of counterfeit products renders invalid any warranty claims users might make when encountering malfunctions, Ericsson said.

Terho Uimonen is Stockholm correspondent for the IDG News Service.

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L.M. Ericsson Telephone Co.
CeBIT 2000

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