RIM and NTP finally reach settlement

The manufacturer of the Blackberry devices Research in Motion and the patent holder NTP has finally reached an agreement, which puts an end to their long-running patent-infringement case that threatened a shutdown of BlackBerry e-mail service in the US. The settlement comes after the U.S. District Judge, presiding over the case decided to delay the injunction, as phonearena.com informed last week. Under the settlement, which relates to all patents owned and controlled by NTP and covers all of RIM's products, services and technologies, RIM has to pay NTP $612.5 million. The agreement also refers to RIM partners that use Blackberry technology in their own branded products. RIM had already accrued $450 million, which was the sum of the previous agreement between the two companies that eventually fell apart, and the additional $162.5 million will be recorded in Q4. This agreement, according to RIM, has already been approved by the court and the case is dismissed.

Source: RIM