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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: APCO
Courtney McCarron
202.833.9600
mccarronc@apco911.org
APCO RESPONDS TO BROADCOM OFFER
July 13, 2007, Washington, DC – The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International today responded to Broadcom Corporation's offer to license U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) patent royalty-free to public agencies and health and safety groups.
Broadcom Corporation announced Wednesday that it is willing to grant royalty-free licenses to U.S. Patent No. 6,714,983 to state and local government agencies and private not-for-profit organizations to import cellular phones for use in public health, safety and emergency response applications.
"APCO International has assessed and commented on the potential adverse impacts on public safety imposed by the ITC order," APCO International President Wanda McCarley said. "While we appreciate Broadcom's offer and their apparent recognition of the very real impacts on public safety, the offer of patent licensing to public safety agencies does not provide an adequate remedy. The identified issues relating to location accuracy, voice clipping, 800 MHz rebanding, and emergency alert system upgrades are resolved by placing new tools in the hands of the consumer public that provide adequate information delivery to public safety agencies."
In December 2006, the ITC affirmed a finding that certain Qualcomm Incorporated chips infringe the '983 patent. On June 7, the ITC ordered that those infringing chips, and future model cellular phones containing those chips, be barred from importation into the United States. The order specifically exempted the importation of cellular phones for use by the U.S. Government. On June 8, APCO International released a statement expressing concern over the ITC ruling stating that it "could have a far reaching, adverse impact on the delivery of public safety services within the U.S." Visit http://www.apcointl.com/news/2007/20070608APCOExpressesConcernoverInternationalTradeCommissionRuling.html to view the full statement.
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