CommScope sues tech rival, former employees after settling another dispute

HICKORY– CommScope on Monday disclosed it was suing tech rival Rosenberger and two former CommScope workers employed at that company in a dispute over trade secrets.

The suit comes just days after CommScope settled another dispute by aquiring technology from another firm.

The Rosenberger suit was filed in federal court in Delaware.

CommScope says “Rosenberger misappropriated CommScope’s trade secrets related to base station antennas, including trade secrets related to CommScope’s proprietary software programs and CommScope’s base station antenna hardware. CommScope also asserts that the former CommScope employees breached their post-employment legal obligations owed to CommScope.”

Last week, CommScope said it acquired technology from Spanish company Fractus S.A. as part of a settlement of a dispute between the two companies.

The settlement includes a technology transfer of Fractus’s entire portfolio of base station antenna patents to CommScope. The dispute between the two companies was dismissed after the transfer.

CommScope said the extended line of base station antenna systems will help the company prepare for future networks such as 5G.

“The addition of Fractus’s patents enhances the value of CommScope’s base station antenna portfolio and will enable us to offer new and innovative features that will provide significant value to our base station antenna customers,” said Farid Firouzbakht, senior vice president for CommScope’s Mobility Solutions.

In a statement about the Rosenberger suit, Firouzbakht said in a statement:

“CommScope innovates, designs, manufactures, and sells best-in-class telecommunications products and equipment around the world. CommScope has taken this action to protect the company’s significant investments in developing innovative products that provide superior value to our network infrastructure customers.”

CommScope (Nasdaq: COMM) traded down 24 cents at $10.96 on Monday.

This story includes some material from the North Carolina Business News Wire, a service of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media.